{{Short description|Northern Irish food production company}} '''Mash Direct''' is a farming and food production company based in Comber, County Down, Northern Ireland.<ref>{{cite news|title=Top 1000: Northern Ireland's top performing families|url=http://www.irishtimes.com/business/work/top-1000-northern-ireland-s-top-performing-families-1.2653445|newspaper=The Irish Times|accessdate=28 October 2016}}</ref>
As of 2016, Mash Direct employed 180 people at its farm. The company produces and supplies vegetable and potato products to supermarkets (including Asda<ref>{{cite web|title=Mash Direct wins new Asda contract|url=http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Business-News/Food-manufacturer-to-supply-five-products-to-Asda|website=Food Manufacture|accessdate=3 May 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mash Direct wins massive £500,000 contract with Asda|url=http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/mash-direct-wins-massive-500000-deal-with-asda-35115782.html|website=Belfast Telegraph}}</ref> and Morrisons<ref>{{cite web|title=Mash Direct secures £1m Morrisons distribution deal|url=http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Business-News/Mash-Direct-distribution-deal-with-Morrisons|website=Food Manufacture|accessdate=20 Feb 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Local producer lands £1m supermarket deal|url=http://www.itv.com/news/utv/update/2017-02-20/local-producer-lands-1m-supermarket-deal/|website=ITV|publisher=ITV|accessdate=20 February 2017}}</ref>) and independent retailers across the UK and Ireland and exports to the US and the Middle East.<ref>{{cite web|title=Thought mashed potatoes would be popular in Middle East? Meet the firm carving a niche in the market - Real Business|url=http://realbusiness.co.uk/exports/2016/03/31/thought-mashed-potatoes-would-be-popular-in-middle-east-meet-the-firm-carving-a-niche-in-the-market/|website=Real Business|accessdate=28 October 2016|date=31 March 2016}}</ref>
Mash Direct was founded by Martin and Tracy Hamilton as a family business, in 2004 diversifying from their potato and vegetable farm.<ref>{{cite web|title=How We Made It: Martin and Tracy Hamilton, founders of Mash Direct {{!}} The Sunday Times|url=http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/business/small_business/article1450171.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529132854/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/business/small_business/article1450171.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 29, 2015|website=thesundaytimes.co.uk|accessdate=28 October 2016}}</ref> Their products include prepared potato, croquettes, potato cakes and vegetable burgers.
==Company history== The company opened its first factory in 2004, supplying mashed potato products to retailers Mace, N. Aiken, and Creightons in Belfast, branching out to the Republic of Ireland in 2005, supplying Dunnes Stores.
Between 2006 and 2007, the company developed sauce-based recipes, including red cabbage and beetroot; broccoli and cheese sauce; creamy garlic potatoes. Coverage on BBC Radio 4 led to the first visit of Jamie Oliver.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jamie Oliver at Taste of Dublin|url=http://www.mashdirect.com/taste-of-dublin-day-1-celebrity-mash}}</ref>
The company expanded distribution into Scotland in 2006, the US in 2009, Dubai in 2012. In 2013, all products were made gluten free.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/People/GM-free-food-is-big-US-export-opportunity-for-manufacturers|title=GM-free food is big US export opportunity for manufacturers }}</ref>
==Awards== <!-- Only the first, Guild of Fine Food - Great Taste Awards (2015), comes with commentary --> Mash Direct has won 16 Great Taste Awards including the Guild of Fine Food - Great Taste Award (2015).<ref>{{cite web|title=Double Great Taste Awards Success for Mash Direct {{!}} Food NI - Our Food So Good!|url=http://www.nigoodfood.com/double-great-taste-awards-success-for-mash-direct/|website=Food NI|accessdate=28 October 2016|date=6 August 2015}}</ref>
Other awards received include: * Crispy Vegetable Bakes - SIAL [http://www.buynifood.com/news-events/1621/gold-award-for-innovation-for Abu Dhabi Gold Innovation Award] (2016) <ref>{{cite web|title=SIAL Abu Dhabi Awards 2016|url=http://sialme.com/features/sial-innovation|accessdate=27 March 2017}}</ref> * Vegetable Burgers - [http://irish.qualityfoodawards.com/iqf-2017/2016-winners Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards] (2016)<ref>{{cite web|title=Irish Quality Food & Drink Awards 2016|url=http://irish.qualityfoodawards.com/iqf-2016/2016-winners|website=irish.qualityfoodawards.com|accessdate=28 October 2016}}</ref> * Mash Direct Vegetable Burgers - [http://www.buynifood.com/news-events/1545/grocer-new-product-commendation-for The Grocer New Product Award] (2015)<ref>{{cite web|title=2015 Winners - The Grocer New Product Awards |url=https://www.thegrocernewproductawards.co.uk/page/2015_winners.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151007222954/http://www.thegrocernewproductawards.co.uk/page/2015_winners.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=7 October 2015 |website=thegrocernewproductawards.co.uk |accessdate=28 October 2016 }}</ref> * [https://www2.deloitte.com/ie/en/pages/best-managed-companies/articles/shortlist-for-best-managed-company-awards-20141.html Best Managed Company Award] (Deloitte, 2015)<ref>{{cite web|title=Deloitte Best Managed Company Awards 2015 {{!}} Deloitte Ireland {{!}} News, Best Managed Companies Awards|url=http://www2.deloitte.com/ie/en/pages/best-managed-companies/articles/shortlist-for-best-managed-company-awards-20141.html|website=Deloitte Ireland|accessdate=28 October 2016}}</ref> * Jack Hamilton, Mash Direct Marketing Director, [https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/people/top-new-talent/top-new-talent-2015/545047.article The Grocer Top New Talent Award] (2015)<ref>{{cite web|last1=Halliwell|first1=James|title=Jack Hamilton, director at Mash Direct|url=http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/people/top-new-talent/top-new-talent-2015/545047.article#Jack_Hamilton}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{official website|http://www.mashdirect.com/}}
Category:Food and drink companies of Northern Ireland Category:Food and drink companies of Ireland Category:Irish brands