Tesco Northern Ireland has confirmed that two Ballymena-based meat businesses are among the local suppliers chosen for its expanded summer BBQ range. The agreement sees products from K&G McAtamney and Doherty & Gray featured across Tesco’s Fire Pit and broader barbecue offer, increasing the visibility of Ballymena producers within a major retail chain.
Local firms in a national summer line-up
K&G McAtamney, a family butchery with roots stretching back to 1953, will supply more than a dozen items to Tesco’s summer selection. The company, now in its third generation under Gordon McAtamney, employs a team of around 50 people and combines traditional butchery with modern slicing and packaging techniques to prepare its products.
From K&G McAtamney, Tesco shoppers can expect items such as BBQ and Sweet Chilli Chicken Kebabs, Meat Market BBQ and Sweet Chilli Chicken Mini Fillets and BBQ Korean-style Pork Belly Bites appearing in the retailer’s Meat Market range.
Doherty & Gray brings several decades of experience to the roster. Founded in 1954 by Patrick ‘Patsy’ Doherty and Robert ‘Bobby’ Gray, the company has remained based in Ballymena and maintained lasting relationships with local farmers. For Tesco’s summer range, Doherty & Gray will supply a selection of burgers and other products including Tesco Finest Northern Irish Aberdeen Angus burgers, Fire Pit Quarter Pounders, Half Pounders and Smash Burgers, alongside Hull’s Pork & Apple Burgers and Cumberland Sausage Swirls.
- Supplier: K&G McAtamney — products include chicken kebabs, mini fillets, pork belly bites.
- Supplier: Doherty & Gray — products include Aberdeen Angus burgers, quarter/half pounders, smash burgers.
- Range placement: Tesco Fire Pit and Meat Market ranges across Tesco Northern Ireland.
“Our summer BBQ products are particularly special this year because of the significant effort we’ve invested over recent years in sourcing a strong, high-quality offering while supporting local suppliers.”
What this means for Ballymena
The inclusion of two Ballymena firms in Tesco NI’s summer range is likely to have several local impacts. It gives established family-run businesses a prominent retail platform, potentially increasing sales and customer reach beyond their traditional wholesale and local retail markets. For staff and supply-chain partners in the Ballymena area, the deal represents a validation of locally produced meat and processed lines. Both companies emphasise long histories in the area and ongoing links with generations of local farmers.
For shoppers in Ballymena and beyond, the move broadens access to regionally produced products and highlights Northern Irish food provenance within a mainstream supermarket’s seasonal offer. Tesco NI said its expanded line-up this year brings together suppliers from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to showcase local quality and innovation.
| Supplier | Heritage | Featured products in Tesco NI range |
|---|---|---|
| K&G McAtamney | Founded 1953; family butchery; third generation | BBQ & Sweet Chilli Chicken Kebabs; Mini Fillets; Korean-style Pork Belly Bites |
| Doherty & Gray | Founded 1954; long-standing Ballymena firm | Finest Aberdeen Angus burgers; Quarter/ Half Pounders; Smash Burgers; Cumberland Sausage Swirls |
Retail listings such as these can be especially important for small and medium-sized producers seeking to scale up. While the announcement does not detail volumes or pricing, the presence of Ballymena-sourced lines within a major supermarket’s seasonal collection will be watched with interest by other regional suppliers and by local consumers keen to buy products made nearby.
As the summer season progresses, the extent to which these Ballymena products feature in-store promotions and customer buying patterns will determine the longer-term benefit to the town’s food sector. For now, the announcement marks another public recognition of Ballymena’s role in Northern Ireland’s food and farming economy.
