AwardedAwarded 6 March 2026
Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Related Products
Education Authority · Education
In brief
Education Authority awarded food and drink work to Henderson Foodservice Ltd on 6 March 2026.
The notice gives a value of £16,800,000 excluding VAT.
The contract runs for 3 years, up to 6 years with extensions, starting 1 April 2026.
The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.
What the notice says
Supply and delivery of Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Related Products to school meals kitchens within Northern Ireland. Contract period : 01 April 2026 – 31 March 2029 with options to extend for any additional period(s) of up to and including 36 months. The estimated value is £16,800,000. This Contract is established by the Education Authority and is open to the EA, including NI educational bodies as follows, who at some point, during the life of the Contract may wish to utilise the agreement and should have access at any point, with the permission of EA. This Contract is not intended to replace any current agreements that participating or nonparticipating institutions may already have in…Read the full description
Supply and delivery of Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Related Products to school meals kitchens within Northern Ireland.
Contract period : 01 April 2026 – 31 March 2029 with options to extend for any additional period(s) of up to and including 36 months.
The estimated value is £16,800,000.
This Contract is established by the Education Authority and is open to the EA, including NI
educational bodies as follows, who at some point, during the life of the Contract may wish
to utilise the agreement and should have access at any point, with the permission of EA.
This Contract is not intended to replace any current agreements that participating or
nonparticipating institutions may already have in place.
Department of Education - Schools Plus https://www.educationni.gov.uk/services/schoolsplus
Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA, Catholic Maintained Schools
Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary
Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled, and Catholic Maintained),
Schoolmeals kitchens on-site at all of these schools, and Controlled Youth Centres.
Further Education Colleges in NI : https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/further
educationfecolleges
NICIE - https://nicie.org/
Grant Controlled Integrated Education Schools in NI
Independent Schools in NI https://www.isc.co.uk/schools/northern-ireland/
EA Teachers' and Educational Centres
Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA)
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
Middletown Centre for Autism
Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC)
Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE)
Pre-Schools and Nurseries included within the EA Pre-School Education Programme
(PSEP)
N.B. Estimated values stated, both including and excluding VAT are the same as VAT is
not applicable to the goods included under this procurement
Who won
| Winner | Value | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Henderson Foodservice Ltd 4 bids received | £16,800,000 | Awarded 23 February 2026 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 |
Values as the award notice gives them, excluding VAT where stated.
Timeline
- Tender notice · UK4, notice 076165-2025
- Tender notice · UK4, notice 076894-2025
- Contract award notice · UK6, notice 016258-2026
- Contract details notice · UK7, notice 028707-2026
About the buyer
Education AuthorityLast 12 months
Procurements
119Awards
53Suppliers it has used most for food and drink
- Culligan Water (Ireland) Limited1 contract
- Dale Farm Limited1 contract
- Drayne's Dairy Limited1 contract
- Early Days Foods Ltd1 contract
- Grove Dairy Ltd1 contract
From notice 076165-2025 on Find a Tender, first published 21 November 2025, last updated 27 March 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.