21 May 2021
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Food manufacturer sees 20% increase in demand for fresh spuds
ONE of Ireland's leading fresh food manufacturers has seen its demand for fresh potatoes increase by 20% since September, as a knock-on effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sam Dennigan and Company, which sources, ships, distributes and markets more than 100,000 tonnes of fresh produce each year to customers across Ireland, the UK and Europe has invested in a new, state-of-the-art packing line to help cope with the increased demand.
It had begun planning a seven-figure improvement plan two years ago, and work began on the new line was designed and installed by Haith Group during the first national coronavirus lockdown. Despite the challenging circumstances, it was up and running by the end of the month.
Sam Dennigan and Company’s General Manager, Ray Maher, said: "We could not have planned it any better. Demand for our potatoes went through the roof just one week after Haith's team left the site. Our previous line would not have been able to handle the extra capacity, but with the new line, it was a breeze, and we know we have the capacity to increase throughput even more."