Northern Ireland-headquartered agri-food company Fane Valley Group is investing £1.1m (€1.3m) in a company-wide skills development programme targeting its workforce across multiple sites, as reported by the Irish News, with the initiative supported by Invest NI as part of the group's three-year business plan.

The training programme covers sales and marketing, leadership capability, supply chain development and digital capabilities, and will extend across Fane Valley Group's headquarters in Moira and its sites in Belfast, Omagh, Moy, Newry and Tandragee, as well as 17 agri-retail stores across Northern Ireland. Duncrue Food Processors and Fane Valley Feeds are also included in the programme.

Trevor Lockhart, Chief Executive of Fane Valley Group, said investment in people is central to the group's commercial strategy. "By investing in employee training, leadership development and professional growth opportunities, we are strengthening our capability to grow our customer base," he said. "This investment will ensure our teams are equipped to respond to evolving customer demands and increasing sustainability expectations."

Lockhart added that the focus on skills development has already produced operational benefits across the group. "This focus on skills development has helped the group improve efficiency, support innovation and adapt to the changing needs of the agri-food sector," he said.

Niall Casey, Director of Skills and Competitiveness at Invest NI, said the investment strengthens the regional agri-food sector's capacity to respond to changing market conditions. "This investment in skills strengthens the local food and agriculture sector by developing local talent and empowering its workforce to reskill to meet customer demands," he said. "It will also support Fane Valley to build the skills needed to lead initiatives such as sustainable practices and improved supply chain traceability."

The programme reflects a broader trend among Northern Ireland agri-food businesses investing in structured workforce capability as sustainability requirements and digital transformation reshape supply chain and customer expectations across the sector.

Access the full details of Fane Valley Group's skills investment programme in the complete report.