Deli Lites in £500,000 deal with Musgrave NI

Food-to-go producer Deli Lites has landed a deal with Musgrave NI to supply its new Planet Café brand to Centra, SuperValu and Mace stores across Northern Ireland.

With an expected deal value of £500,000, the range has been piloted at McGoveran’s Centra in the Cathedral Quarter, Belfast, and will be rolled out in stores across NI over the next six months.

Planet Café is a heat-to-eat range designed to be cooked in its packaging, with products inspired by tastes from across the world, including tóstas, burritos and paninis with vegetarian and vegan options available.

The launch is part of Musgrave’s ongoing partnership with Warrenpoint-based Deli Lites.

Since the partnership began in 2012, the Deli Lites range has sold in excess of £10 million worth of products across Musgrave NI’s portfolio of stores.

In 2019, Musgrave extended its collaboration with the company to launch its own brand of food-to-go products, Fresh For You, which has over 30 product lines, including sandwiches, wraps, salads and ‘heat-to-eat’ options.

Commenting on the deal, Julie Cherry, Trading Director at Musgrave NI, said: “Providing convenient and tasty food-to-go products for our busy customers is a priority for us and we are excited to launch the brand new Planet Café range in our stores.

“The pilot at McGoveran’s Centra in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter is proving to be a success and is extremely beneficial during the busy lunch time period to ensure continuous availability.

“As we roll out to our retailers around Northern Ireland, we expect its success to continue.

“Our 10-year partnership with Deli Lites is a sign of Musgrave’s commitment to supporting local suppliers and stocking local, quality produce.

“As a family-owned company, we are continually on the lookout for new local high-quality food and drinks brands to add to our shelves to support our local economy.”

Barbara Hawkins, National Account Manager, Deli Lites, added: “Our Planet Café brand has been nearly two years in development, and we are excited to launch the range throughout Musgrave’s extensive portfolio of stores.

“To be enjoyed hot, the new products can be heated in store in their packaging.

“They can also be stored in a heated environment for up to 90 minutes, so customers can grab and go.

“We have seen an increase in demand for a hot food offering which suggests people are looking for affordable luxuries.

“Whether it is people working from home, in the office or simply those who fancy a tasty lunch treat, Planet Café is there to meet this demand, offering convenience with tasty flavours from around the world.”