Barista Bar has renewed its sponsorship of the Mallusk 5-Mile Road Race for a fourth consecutive year, as preparations continue for one of Northern Ireland's best-known summer road races.
The 12th edition of the event, organised by Mallusk Harriers Athletic Club, will take place on Friday 14 August, with the coffee-to-go brand once again supporting the race that is renowned for its demanding opening climb along Sealstown Road.
Barista Bar said its continued backing reflects the brand's commitment to the local community, with both the company and the race sharing strong roots in the Mallusk area.
Keavy O'Mahony-Truesdale, national brand and business development manager at Barista Bar, said the event had become synonymous with the local community while attracting runners from across Northern Ireland.
“As a business proudly rooted in Mallusk, we're passionate about fuelling people for whatever the day throws at them and we're thrilled to be back as sponsors for the 2026 Mallusk 5-Mile Race,” she said. “We can't wait to cheer every runner over the finish line this August.”
As part of this year's sponsorship, Barista Bar will again run its Team Challenge competition, with teams of five men and four women competing for the lowest combined finishing times. The winning teams will receive Barista Bar hampers in recognition of their performance.
The company will also provide runners with complimentary drink vouchers redeemable at EUROSPAR Mallusk, while colleagues from its Mallusk base will be on hand to support participants throughout the evening.
Sean Doherty, chairperson of Mallusk Harriers Athletic Club, welcomed the continued partnership, saying support from local businesses was essential to the race's success.
“Without support from local businesses and brands like Barista Bar, we wouldn't have a race like this,” he said. “It means even more when that support is local as it brings even more opportunity for growth and development for the area, our community and our club to bring a competitive and respected race to offer runners from across Northern Ireland.”
Alongside the main race, the one-mile fun run will return for a second year, giving younger runners from Mallusk and surrounding communities an opportunity to take part and experience race day.
Barista Bar brand is owned by Henderson Group, the SPAR distributor in Northern Ireland.