DUNHILL CUISINE, a producer of fresh ready-made meals to the catering sectors, has signed a deal with Musgrave to supply its network of SuperValu and Centra stores.

Potential sales generated by the two agreements are understood to be worth in the region of €6 million over a two-year period and could lead to Dunhill Cuisine more than doubling its turnover in that period.

The company, which was set up in 2004, has increased its turnover over the past three years from €600,000 to an expected €4 million this year.

The Centra store contract is already in place, while the SuperValu contract will start at the end of this month. Overall, Dunhill Cuisine will be supplying more than 800 stores.

The Co Waterford-based company will take on an additional 10 staff to its existing 30-strong workforce to cater for the increase in production that will be required to service the two contracts.

Dunhill Cuisine was set up by chef Edward Spelman. He has previously worked with a number of Ireland's leading chefs, including Richard Corrigan, Conrad Gallagher and Kevin Thornton.

He spotted a niche in the market to supply both the retail and catering sectors with a range of prepared foods and ready-made meals using fresh, local produce.

As well as a number of retailers, it makes products for the Douglas Hide food company in Cork. On the catering side, Dunhill Cuisine currently supplies Cork and Shannon airports with a range of foods from soups, mashed potatoes, gravy to ready-made meals.

It also recently started to supply Dublin airport.

"We give them consistency and repeatability at all times in bulk and to their specification. They would order today and we would deliver fresh tomorrow morning," Mr Spelman said. "That's what's driving the business - freshness, quality and high standards."

The company has received about €500,000 in funding from Enterprise Ireland and is currently examining exporting to the British market.

"Our main focus in the next year would be exports," he said.