Vision Consulting, a Dublin-based IT and business management consultancy company, has won a contract to develop a web-based order processing system for John Henderson, the Northern Ireland food retailer and wholesaler.

Vision says the cross-Border deal "represents a significant investment for Henderson".

When introduced at the beginning of next year, Henderson "will be the first retail wholesaler in Ireland" to operate "an order processing system over the Internet". Vision said it would "open up a new communication channel" between Henderson and "its 500 outlets which include Spar and VG in Northern Ireland and Vivo throughout Ireland". Vision, operating for more than 15 years, employs 350 people and has offices in Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, London and New York. Sales are projected to grow to £27 million (#34 million) this year.

Henderson is a 100-year-old family-owned business. It has more than 250,000 sq ft of warehouse at its 10-acre distribution site in Newtownabbey.