Craigavon Snack Business Leader Named Among UK’s Most Ambitious
Armagh-based confectionery innovator Michael Hall, the founder and managing director Kestrel Foods has been named one of Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders for 2026. He’s the only businessman from Northern Ireland in the group of rising stars.
The important recognition for the Northern Ireland businessman is from LDC, which is part of Lloyds Banking Group in partnership with The Times. The programme recognises exceptional leaders and entrepreneurs who are “building for the future: expanding internationally, developing new products, challenging established markets and investing in their people”.
Michael’s ambition is familiar to everyone in the UK confectionery industry who knows him. The original trailblazer starting out, who now heads a £50 million business, Michael’s curiosity, determination and courage to do things differently, to take business risks has shaped every chapter of the story of Kestrel Foods, now one of Northern Ireland’s most innovative and successful manufacturers.
Today, Kestrel Foods, which is based in Craigavon, consists of three hugely successful brands – Forest Feast dried fruit and nut and luxury snacks, a FoodNI member, many in rich chocolate; Just Live a Little premium breakfast cereals and snacks, another FoodNI member; and Acti-Snack healthy energy trail snacks for active people.
“We successfully created a luxury category by turning commodities into distinctive, added-value snacks. Now we’re on track to reach £100 million by 2030,” adds Michael.
Michael founded a dried fruit and nut packing company in 1991, straight out of university. By 1996, he had created Forest Feast in Craigavon. Lorraine, his late wife, played a pivotal role in the development and early growth on the company. In 1997, Lorraine gave up a successful career in marketing to help ensure the growth of Kestrel Foods, bringing expertise in sales, marketing and packaging to the new enterprise. Tragically, Lorraine passed away from cancer in 2017.
“Back in 1996, most people only used dried fruit and nuts for baking,” he says. “We sourced premium products and created our category.”
His focus on quality has won the business, which creates and sells luxury dried fruit snacks, including an impressive range of chocolate coated products, flavoured granolas, healthy trail mixes and seasonal items for Christmas and Halloween, boasts over 20 UK Great Taste awards and a turnover that will top £50 million this year.
Michael is expanding Forest Feast’s footprint in over 30 countries worldwide, including Asia and the Middle East, and has a strong pipeline of innovative products that has been created response to market research, social media trends and international tastes.
Kestrel Foods is an ambitious business which leads the market in premium snack products that have won widespread acclaim. He recently announced a £5 million investment to drive faster growth in both domestic and international markets. The company has a longstanding commitment to technology such as its own chocolate coating systems and extensive employee training.
The latest investment will create 38 new jobs and feature the Installation of an advanced continuous chocolate coating and polishing technology line to boost output and reduce waste.
There’ll also be expanded storage facilities at the factory complex in Carn Industrial Estate site in Portadown.
Business was central to Michael’s upbringing. ”My father had his own food business so it’s in my blood. My brother and I worked in his factory as kids during the school holidays. Now, I’ve got 30 years’ experience sourcing quality ingredients. We roast our own nuts, have our own chocolate plant and our packaging has been carefully designed to reflect permissible indulgence. That’s the magic that’s helped us create this category.”
Kestrel Foods is a smart and progressive business with a strong social conscience especially about suppliers of ingredients from developing countries. “Our sourcing creates value for the communities behind the ingredients. We buy our chocolate through Cacao-Trace, which supports local farming communities, ensuring they get a price premium as well as contributing to projects such as new schools, solar wells and maternity services.
“Our work with the Preda Foundation, in the Philippines, for example, takes children off the streets and gives them education and a better life.” Kestrel has worked with Preda for more than 25 years.
The charity’s mission is “to defend and promote human rights and dignity through direct action in rescuing, protecting, healing and empowering exploited, trafficked and abused children, giving legal assistance, and aftercare. It aims to prevent exploitation through sustainable development, and fair trade for poverty alleviation”.
Michael continues: “We’re also a great supporter of grassroots sport here in Northern Ireland, sponsoring initiatives like the Forest Feast Aquasprint junior swimming league for 20 years.”
While Kestrel Foods is sharply focused on international growth and increasingly successful in global sales, the innovative-led business remains strongly committed to delivering delicious taste experiences to customers and retailers in the UK and Ireland. These include most of the leading supermarkets.
