Family firm Bertie’s Bakery has signed a contract with Tesco, stocking products in Northern Ireland Express stores and creating new jobs at its base near Magherafelt.

The deal, worth an anticipated £2 million in sales annually, has seen 12 Bertie’s Bakery lines initially available across Tesco’s 19 Express format stores in Northern Ireland from the start of October.

This will be followed by the roll-out of 30 lines into 24 of Tesco’s main estate Superstores. The 90 new products include hot plate goods, baps and rolls, oven bread and scones, cakes and pastries.

Brian McErlain opened Bertie’s Bakery in 2020. Currently, the bakery operates from a 15,000 sq ft site outside Magherafelt, which is a BRC  AA* accredited site.

The 12 new jobs will be across the business, including Bakery and Sales personnel, bringing the number of people employed by the company to 45.

Gareth Morton, head of category commercial NI at Tesco, added: “We’re proud to support local suppliers and our new partnership with Bertie’s Bakery reflects our commitment to continually improving and expanding our offering. Bertie’s is a local business with a long history in Northern Ireland and we are excited to be able to provide their products to Tesco customers.”

Bertie’s Bakery’s new 90 products include hot plate goods, baps and rolls, oven bread and scones, cakes and pastries.