Food specialist Corries acquires Knotts Bakery in Newtownards

Food specialist Corries acquires Knotts Bakery in Newtownards

Farm-based butcher and food specialist Corries has acquired Knotts Bakery in Newtownards.

The acquisition of the popular bakery in Newtownards, which was established in 1979 and has won acclaim for the quality and outstanding taste of a wide range in-house baked goods, was announced by William Corrie (36), who owns the family farm food business with brother Gareth.

The brothers had previously acquired Four Seasons Greengrocers and Delicatessen in Cherryvalley, east Belfast, which provided an extensive range of in-house ready meals and delivery services for fruit and vegetables and other foods, especially cheese and charcuterie, over many years.

The popular deli is currently being renovated to create Fayre by Corries, a new fine food hall scheduled to open its doors on June 20.

The modern food hall will feature a Corries meat counter, baked goods from Knotts Bakery and an extensive fresh fruit and vegetable section from the former deli. Fayre will also offer significant space for other artisan producers from across Northern Ireland.

Corries, which has an existing seven shops in Belfast, Dundonald, Newtownards and Holywood, is retaining the three existing Knotts Bakery outlets in the same centres and a fully equipped bakery unit on the Crawfordsburn Road in Newtownards.

Fayre by Corries will gradually be rolled out to other existing and suitable farm shops owned by company, William said.

“We are tremendously excited by acquisition of Knotts, one of the best-known and most respected family bakeries here. Knotts Bakery has a very strong identify and is synonymous with consistently excellent baked goods,” he said.

“We’ve been developing the new Fayre by Corries food hall concept for shoppers for some considerable time and will start rolling out this month. There are strong synergies between both Corries and Knotts.

“While two of the three Knotts bakery shops are likely to remain as they are, the main outlet in the centre of Newtownards offers significant scope for further developments for shoppers.

“It’s an immensely attractive building featuring high ceilings and pillars with lots of space. We are planning, for example, to use space upstairs for stylish afternoon tea sessions.

“We’ll also be building on the popularity of the café there and working closely Neil Graham, its excellent chef and team,” he said.

The Corries Meats shop on the Ormeau Road in Belfast was extended in 2015 by the family business from meat to the provision of hot and cold deli foods for ‘grab and go’ for office workers, workmen and students.

The chain now features seven farm shops and a well-equipped bakery producing a wide range of pies, packaged foods and ready meals for retail.