A County Armagh food business behind the Forest Feast premium snacking brand has set out plans to double in size by 2030 as it celebrates 30 years of trading.
Kestrel Foods, which owns Forest Feast, specialises in nuts, dried fruits and chocolate-coated snacks. The company’s headquarters are in Portadown, where it employs more than 150 people.
Business founder and chief executive Michael Hall announced the expansion ambition as the company marked the anniversary of the business he established with his late wife, Lorraine, in 1996.
Sales growth and international reach
Kestrel Foods’ annual sales increased from £23.2 million in 2023 to £43.8 million in 2026, according to the company. Its products are now sold in 22 international markets.
The business said continued investment in manufacturing capability, innovation and brand development would support its goal of doubling the company by 2030. The wider portfolio includes Forest Feast, ACTI-SNACK, Just Live a Little Granola and Indie Bay.
Forest Feast secured its first national grocery listing with Waitrose in 1998. The brand later won its first Great Taste Award in 2011 and has since collected more than 20 of the awards.
Investment in people and production
The company said it had built a reputation for category-leading and innovative snacks, while remaining focused on ethical sourcing and responsible business practices.
Mr Hall said the anniversary was a significant milestone for the company and credited sustained reinvestment in its workforce, manufacturing capabilities, brands and product development with helping the business grow.
“Reaching 30 years is an incredibly proud moment. When Lorraine and I started Forest Feast, we believed that snacks could be better: more exciting, more delicious, more carefully crafted, more responsibly sourced and more memorable.”
He said the company’s progress was not measured only by its size, but also by the way it had expanded while remaining connected to the values on which it was founded.
“Looking back, what makes me most proud isn’t how much we’ve grown, but how we’ve done it.”
Mr Hall added that Kestrel Foods was building a business positioned for the future of the snacking market.
“We’re building a business that’s well positioned for the future of snacking.”
The planned expansion represents the next stage for the County Armagh company following three decades of product development, awards recognition, international sales growth and investment at its Portadown headquarters.