Buchanans is the proud brand name used by our company, W.G. Buchanan & Son Ltd. A family owned and operated company that has been sourcing and supplying natural whole foods since 1871.
W.G. Buchanan & Son Ltd are a family owned and operated company that has been sourcing and supplying whole food ingredients since 1871. Our Buchanans brand was best known for "Soup Mix", our wholesome blend of barley, lentils and split peas and the base ingredient for many home cooked soups and broths that have brought warmth to many on a cold winter’s night and to this day, remains our best-selling retail product.
Over the years, we have greatly expanded our range to adapt to differing eating trends and consumer demands and our range now encompasses a comprehensive range of cereals, pulses, rice, dried fruit, seeds and culinary nuts.
Our current Managing Director, Jonathan McVeigh is the grandson of William McVeigh who worked alongside the Buchanan family until he eventually bought the business from them in 1940, retaining the original brand name. From its founding in 1871 the company premises were located in the centre of Belfast before moving to Newtownabbey in the 1980’s. Further expansion over the years saw the need for a larger and more dedicated facility. So in 2007 we relocated to a new production and warehousing facility in Carrickfergus. This provided the company with a significant increase in capacity where we are able to supply an excellent service directly to retailers, wholesalers and foodservice providers throughout Ireland, the U.K and further afield.
With a wealth of experience passed through the generations we take great pride in forming lasting relationships with all of our suppliers to ensure a consistent supply of quality products. This key principle is entrenched throughout each area of the business and allows us not only to deliver quality products and exceptional customer service and satisfaction, but also offer competitive pricing to our customers which enables them to compete and succeed in their respective markets.
Quality Control
& Food Safety
We are accredited by SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval), a joint Food Safety Certification scheme between the British Retail Consortium, National Farmers Union, the Food & Drink Federation and the British Hospitality Association. This quality assurance ensures a consistent delivery of high quality foods as well as the capacity to provide an 'own label' service.
We carefully select and assess all of our suppliers on a regular basis to ensure that they supply to the most stringent quality checks. Our aim is always to work with factories that have HACCP, ISO 22000, EFSIS or BRC accreditation’s, ensuring a consistency of quality that the end users appreciate. We encourage our customers to visit us at our Carrickfergus base to experience first-hand the standards we have set and how we control our products.
For further information on SALSA click here.
To view or print a copy of our accreditation certificate, please click here.
Our Facilities
Our 25,000 square feet purpose built facility is located in Trooperslane Industrial Estate on the edge of Carrickfergus, Co Antrim. Having our production and warehouse facilities on site with head office ensures seamless communication between production, logistics and administration to ensure products are sourced, packed and distributed efficiently and we work closely with our local transport partners, our location (a short distance from Belfast and its major road and shipping network) allows timely delivery of orders for the benefit of our expanding customer base.As part of continued expansion, we added a stand-alone nut facility in 2019. Whilst previously our nuts had always been packed under strict allergen controls, with their own machinery and segregated areas within our main site, we made the decision to move these completely to their own dedicated facility to provide assurance to our customers and remove both potential cross contamination and the use of alibi “may contain” statements
Our Customers
As with our people the focus is always customer retention as we look to meet the ever changing demands of the end user. The food industry demands excellent customer service and we are pleased to provide consistently, quality foods to every customer that comes on board. Customers no longer look for quality, they expect it and the time old mantra of ‘the customer is always right!’ has been passed through the generations and is instilled in everyone at Buchanans. We are always open to feedback and suggestions from our customers, and should there be any products required not currently within our range, please do not hesitate to contact us as it may be something that we are soon to introduce!
Our Team
A young team led by decades of experience ensures age old traditions are modernised to enhance efficiency along the supply chain.
Jonathan McVeigh
Managing Director
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Jonathan McVeigh
Our Managing Director Jonathan has worked in the company for 30 years, growing the business into new markets whilst retaining our consumer friendly ethos. An expert in both buying and sourcing he has travelled across the world, building lasting supplier relationships. Outside work he enjoys both tennis and golf and being married with 3 children ensures that he is always kept busy!
Philip Johnston
Operations Director
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Philip Johnston
Philip is the Operations Director and primarily ensures the company runs smoothly and efficiently across all departments.
Away from the office he likes keeping fit (sort of), and as an avid rugby fan he will often be found coaching, playing or watching the game.
A committed Francophile, (and not just for the wine and cheese), when his out of office is on - he'll either be in the 3 Valleys dodging snow-boarders or Brittany dodging salad...
Aaron Platt
Business Manager
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Aaron Platt
Aaron has been with the company since graduation and undertakes a variety of roles within the company, prominently logistical and supply chain related. A keen sportsman he is normally found on a squash court, the golf course or if it's a Saturday, the football pitch.
Maria Rowntree
Quality Manager
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Maria Rowntree
Maria deals with all quality related issues as well as ensuring all staff are adhering to company’s policies and guidelines. A specialist on HACCP, she ensures that only the finest quality pass through our premises. Maria's love of sticky notes is unrivalled as she's been known to hide unopened packets throughout the office to ensure a consistent supply all year around.
Ashleigh Currie
Accounts Administrator
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Ashleigh Currie
Ashleigh is our Accounts/ HR Administrator, she is always on hand for our staff, customers and deals with our accounts receivable. In a previous life Ashleigh ran her own bakery and she regularly brings in treats to maintain her status as a company favourite!
Joanne Addley
Purchase Ledger
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Joanne Addley
Joanne is our Purchase Ledger and deals mainly with suppliers and accounts payable. A diligent and very organised person, Joanne has spreadsheets for her spreadsheets and doesn't take no for an answer when handing out Vitamin C tablets every morning.
She loves to read books of all genres and is an avid Paddleboarder regardless of the weather!
Tina Bloomer
Production Manager
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Tina Bloomer
Tina is a ‘stickler for the rules’ and oversees all production related activities. Arguably more suited to the role of a prison officer, Tina ensures that staff continually meet their targets whilst being appropriately attired and aware of all duties that each role requires. Rarely seen outside of Buchanans, it is thought that she spends her spare time checking paperwork or squeezing suppliers to ensure costs and pricing remain competitive!
