A spokesperson for Supermac's, the family owned quick service restaurant chain based in the Republic of Ireland, has said that there is a 'strong possibility' if the right site is found that it could make its way to Fermanagh.

The comment follows the announcement of plans for the chain to enter the Northern Ireland marketplace for the first time. Initially investing over £10 million in acquiring a range of units and drive-thru sites across Northern Ireland, Supermac's will create over 200 jobs.

Supermac's is well known across the Republic of Ireland and has experienced significant growth in recent years. The company currently has 80 fast food restaurants in the Republic of Ireland, employing over 2,500 people with an annual turnover of ¤82 million.

Speaking about Supermac's expansion plans, company founder Pat McDonagh said, "This is a hugely exciting step in the development of Supermac's. We are experiencing unprecedented growth in our business and we have identified significant growth opportunities in Northern Ireland and across Great Britain.

"As we embark upon what is an international business development programme, we are delighted to announce that we have secured a number of sites across Northern Ireland that, once opened, will lead to the creation of over 200 jobs."

Referring to Supermac's commitment to source local food produce Pat added, "As a family business founded locally, we pride ourselves in working closely with local suppliers and we are very keen to continue this approach in Northern Ireland. Whether it's through purchasing fresh chicken, milk or bread, at Supermac's we believe sourcing quality assured local produce guarantees that we provide our customers with the highest quality fresh food."

Supermac's is also developing partnership arrangements with several key retail partners in Northern Ireland, which will see a number of Supermac's restaurants opening on shared sites and inside existing petrol filling station retail outlets.

Pat McDonagh explained, "We are finding that tailoring our food offer to 'people on the move' – particularly at petrol filling stations – is proving to be increasingly popular. People have busy lives and therefore expect quality food on the move."

In closing, Pat said, "Above all, at Supermac's we pride ourselves on our win-win formula of location, quality food and people. Everyone involved with Supermac's is hugely excited about Northern Ireland and we are looking forward to opening our first restaurants this year."