New Yellow Door opening creates jobs
Yellow Door has created 20 new jobs with the opening of the Yellow Door restaurant at Belfast Furniture Mall, located in south Belfast’s Balmoral Plaza.
The investment marks the latest growth for this multi-award-winning Northern Ireland brand, which is known as one of Northern Ireland’s premier outside catering companies and also specialises in deli retail outlets and artisan breads.
“In addition to our retail deli outlets in Portadown, Lisburn and Belfast (Lisburn Road), we opened a restaurant at the Ulster Museum in 2012 and in the same year moved our bakery to new and larger bespoke premises at Bleary, near Portadown,”said Yellow Door Director, Andrew Dougan.
“We deliver fresh bread daily to customers in Belfast and Dublin and recently won a contract with the potential to produce in excess of half a million bread items and tray bakes annually for a company supplying Dublin airport and hospitals.”
Yellow Door is a family business, started up by County Armagh chef Simon Dougan in 1992. From a fine dining restaurant in Gilford, the Yellow Door brand has expanded into an ever growing group of companies employing close to 150 people in full and part time positions, with an expected annual turnover this year of £5million.
The 60,000 sq ft Belfast Furniture Mall was formerly home to Fulton’s fine furnishings company, and with the acquisition of the former restaurant area, Yellow Door aims to introduce the latest trend to Belfast foodies – California-style dining, which focuses on sharing plates and family-style dining.
Simon’s cousin, Andrew Dougan, a Director of the business, says one of the keys to the company’s success lies in a firm ethos of using quality Northern Ireland produce.
“We have many outstanding producers here, whom we are proud to promote. Yellow Door aims to be at the heart of the community with a strong farm-to-table focus, and an emphasis on exceptionally flavoursome, seasonal food, cooked and presented in a variety of exciting dishes to match today’s evolving palettes.”
Commenting on the expansion, he added: “Like everyone else, our business suffered during the recession, with the corporate catering side of the operation plunging by 80% as clients had to tighten their belts. But we always had faith in the Yellow Door brand and not only managed to keep going and absorb the loss, but even expanded the company during that time.
“With the current upturn in the economy, we have now regained most of the ground we lost and 2014 should see our corporate catering business spring back up to pre-recession levels, as companies start to re-engage more with their customers.
“The wedding catering business has always maintained a steady demand and volume and this year we’re looking at a 10% growth.”
Roger Craig, of landlord, Boucher Developments, commented: “Belfast Furniture Mall on the Boucher Road is an ideal location for a top quality eatery. Just outside the city centre, it’s off one of the busiest roads in the city, with a lot of free parking. The new restaurant will also provide a welcome addition to dining for the many business people in the Boucher Road area.”
For further information, visit www.yellowdoordeli.co.uk
