This series showcases the fantastic wealth of Irish food producers.
Farmsy
Can you give me a sentence that captures the essence of your brand?
We are reconnecting people with locally and sustainably produced food that is fresh, delicious and nutrient dense. Good for health and good for the environment.
How did your career pathway bring you to this point in the business?
The business itself grew organically. We started off with four chickens for ourselves. Because of peoples interest in the eggs we increased the flock and started selling eggs from an honesty box outside our cottage. After a while Michael also started delivering eggs to people in Kinsale. Through word-of-mouth we received more enquiries and Michael expanded the egg deliveries and started delivering to people’s homes in Carrigaline and Rochestown.
When the pandemic hit last year, and restrictions made it more difficult for people to move about, Michael’s egg customers asked if he could source other produce. We decided that if we were going to do it we would do it right and focus purely on local, sustainably produced food, and source organic and chemical-free whenever possible.
Local growers and food producers, who were also impacted by the pandemic, were very helpful and happy to supply us with their great produce, and help us figure things out along the way. Once we started looking for local producers we were amazed at just how much high quality food is produced on our doorsteps. We got hooked and now love discovering new food producers and introducing their products to our customers.
My career (Carmen) previously was in computing and website development so those skills lent themselves very well to FARMSY. We’ve been able to build our own website and management systems. Michael has worked for the County Council for 20 years. He’s taken a career break this year to focus on FARMSY. Michael has a long history of back-garden agriculture, growing his own potatoes and veg on the acre around the cottage, so he has an understanding and love for growing food. And as a natural people person, Michael is great with our customers and the face-to-face side of the business.
When did you consider yourself a success?
When we see orders coming in each week we feel very grateful that people like the selection of produce we have sourced and choose to shop with us. Especially when we see repeat orders. That is very gratifying and we are very grateful for the support people have shown.
What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
Not to be afraid of failure. Embrace it as part of the learning process, and the way to finding out what will work for you in life and in business.
What challenges does your industry face?
The logistics can be tricky. Getting freshly harvested and prepared products delivered to order can sometimes be difficult. We work with each individual producer, their location, food production cycle, availability, seasonality, etc. But we’re growing gradually and figuring these things out as we go.
How do you push through your worst times?
I love working with Michael, and think he enjoys working with me too! It’s great working alongside someone. We support each other whenever there is a challenge, and enjoy the little success and achievements along the way. And as they say “two heads are better than one”.
The biggest challenge to date has been the steep learning curve. Our suppliers and customers have been a great support over the last few months and we’re very proud of how much we have achieved in such a short timeframe.
Have you recently developed any new innovative products?
We’ve recently started selling Silkie hen eggs which have proved very popular. Silkie eggs have been a family favourite for years, my parents also kept Silkie hens. They produce a small white egg which has a greater yoke to white ratio than a hen egg. The yoke has a gorgeous rich flavour and the white has a ‘silky’ smooth texture. The Silkie isn’t used commercially because they are a naturally broody bird and don’t produce as many eggs as the red hen, so Silkie eggs are currently exclusive to FARMSY.
To let people sample different eggs we’ve also put together an Egg Selection Box which contains 2 duck eggs, 2 hen eggs and 2 Silkie eggs.
Where are your products stocked?
All the products we source are available through our website – farmsy.ie stock free range and organic eggs, duck and silkie eggs, non-homogenised dairy products from Gloun Cross Dairy, goats kefir and yogurt from Cottage Orchard Farm, Arbutus sourdough breads, fermented foods from The Cultured Food Co. and WASi seaweed pesto. We have local Molaga honey from Timoleague, chemical-free and organic vegetables from Food For Humans, Horizon Farm and Ancient Organics. We supply organic Dexter, Hereford and Angus meat from Duhallow Organics. Organic smoked salmon, chicken, bacon and duck from Ummera Smoke House. We also have West Cork Coffee, and recently apple juice produced by Mealagulla Orchard just outside Cork city. For those with a sweet tooth, we have divine chocolate from David Chocolatier and delicious cakes from Pie Patch Bakery.
Milleens Cheese Ltd
Can you give me a sentence that captures the essence of your brand?
Family business. As a child Milleens was like a 3rd parent. As a parent Milleens is like a 3rd child. A family business is almost like another family member.
How did your career pathway bring you to this point in the business?
Unexpectedly. Growing up I never intended on taking over the family business. However looking back I realise I am very lucky to have done so. Originally, I’d pursued a career in journalism, before coming back to the family farm.
When did you consider yourself a success?
When I realised I was happy with my lot.
What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
‘There is a fear of you’ – that’s a local phrase meaning you’ve nothing to worry about.
What challenges does your industry face?
Brexit, covid & climate change. Steep challenges, so we got to keep the chin up and crack on.
How do you push through your worst times?
One step at a time. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed. The work load and skill set is incredibly broad. Whether its filing payslips with revenue, having a hygiene audit or fixing equipment. You need to either be able or know who can do it.
Have you recently developed any new innovative products?
A year ago we used some Buffalo milk to make Milleens, it was good fun working with a different milk, we have also started seasonally producing Camembeara, a bloomy rind Milleens available in the summer.
Where are your products stocked?
We are available in – On the Pigs back in the English Market Cork, the Little Cheese Shop in Dingle. On Sheridans cheese counters. From Mikes fancy cheese and Millbank farmshop in Northern Ireland. We are also available on most good cheese counters in Supervalu and also in the bigger Tesco stores, we are also in the green label cheese section in Dunnes Stores.
Since the pandemic began our export market collapsed and has yet to be resurrected so you won’t find much Milleens outside Ireland.
Praline
Pastry and Chocolate Shop
Can you give me a sentence that captures the essence of your brand?
Luxurious pastries and chocolates created from high quality ingredients without any fuss.
How did your career pathway bring you to this point in the business?
When I was in school, I worked in a local hotel and from the first night on I fell in love with the industry, although it was tough at times, I always loved the buzz of a busy kitchen. That led me to study Culinary Arts at Dublin Institute of Technology, Cathal Brugha St and having a mother and grandmother who are and were avid bakers, I naturally fell into the pastry section of every kitchen I worked in and although it might sound like a cliché, it was always my dream to own my own pastry shop.
After I graduated from college I soon found myself back in college teaching pastry part-time while working in restaurants in Dublin, some years later I secured a permanent position at DIT. Although I loved teaching pastry after 5 years of doing it full time and 14 years of living in Dublin I decided to pack up and follow my dream (and a wonderful man called Patrick, who is now my husband!) back home and open Praline.
Praline began 3 years ago as a Pastry shop and Café which seated in intimate 21 people at full capacity, business was tough at the start but we grew steadily and were really finding our feet when Covid-19 struck. Luckily I was quickly able to adjust my business model and diversify into handmade chocolates and online pastry and chocolate sales, as well as online markets like the NeighbourFood initiative.
Handmade chocolates was always something that I wanted to introduce into the Praline business model, having spent quite some time working on chocolate during my time teaching and also participating in the Cacao Barry UK and Irish World Chocolate Masters in 2015, winning Best Moulded Praline. Covid-19 therefore, led us to re-brand into Praline Pastry and Chocolate Shop.
When did you consider yourself a success?
I have never considered myself a success, I think the idea of success has a sense of finality about it. Praline is constantly a ‘work in progress’ because what works this week might not work next week so the business is always evolving.
What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
Try not to dwell on the mistakes, they are the only way you will learn and like I said its constantly a ‘work in progress’!
What challenges does your industry face?
It goes without saying that Covid-19 and social distancing has thrown up a huge amount of new challenges for the catering industry. At the moment we have changed our business model to take away only and will continue like this for the next 12 months in order to be able to manage the restrictions in place to ensure the safety of our staff and customers, while still delivering the same quality in our products.
How do you push through your worst times?
Pushing through the hard times is something that I’ve learned to do over time. When I started Praline 3 years ago, I used to find it very overwhelming and worried a lot about things and I guess dwelt to much on the mistakes. Now I find the most effective way to deal with issues in Praline is to get out of the place for a day or two, some of the best ideas and solutions I’ve had have come to me while I’m away from the business, or while I’m away on a pastry or chocolate course abroad which I used to do a couple of times a year before lockdown.
It’s also very important to take time out for yourself and take your days off every week and spend time with loved ones, my 2 year old, Vivienne, is a great distraction. I’m very lucky to have amazing family and friends always on hand to help out and provide support when the going gets tough.
Have you recently developed any new innovative products?
It’s difficult to say if something is innovative as there are so many pastry and chocolate businesses all over the country offering so many different products, but on a local level we introduced our afternoon tea box for take away and it has proven very popular, we have also added a picnic box and a BBQ dessert assortment box to the list.
Where are your products stocked?
Currently our products are available to buy in our pastry and chocolate shop at the Tesco Centre in Mitchelstown, as well as on our website www.praline.ie for ‘click and collect’ or delivery depending on the product. We are planning on stocking some of our handmade chocolate bars and other products in some small local retailers as soon as production gets bigger.
#LoveLocal #ShopLocal
Rebel Chilli
Can you give me a sentence that captures the essence of your brand?
We want food to be delicious, fun and exciting and we make products that reflect that.
How did your career pathway bring you to this point in the business?
I had been running Rebel Chilli as a market stall on a part-time basis during college and went full-time when I graduated. That was six years ago! Since then, we have secured listings with multiple retailers in Ireland, exported to different companies, and won numerous awards for our products. However, we have only scratched the surface of what can be achieved and we need to keep working on growing Rebel Chilli and making fantastic products.
When did you consider yourself a success?
Never!
What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
Ask people for help and support, talk to other business owners, and don’t be afraid to call people who don’t know you.
What challenges does your industry face?
Like every other industry, the fallout from Covid19 and how to proceed is the biggest challenge. The quicker we are able to start seeing what we can and can’t do, the quicker we will be able to grow again and start making progress. The biggest issue is how to operate eating in bars or restaurants as this is fundamental to the supply chain of so many businesses, and people.
How do you push through your worst times?
By knowing that you don’t have a choice! If you don’t do it, no one will do it for you. Your problems are never as bad as they seem, they are just exacerbated in your head.
Have you recently developed any new innovative products?
We have, and it is almost ready to launch. We were ready to go jut before Covid19 hit but that put a hold on everything. This product is exciting for us as it is a different departure but one we think people will love!
Where are your products stocked?
Dunnes, Supervalu, Aldi, independents and Chopped. Also available online from rebelchilli.com and Amazon.
#LoveLocal #ShopLocal
Mama Bear Foods
Can you give me a sentence that captures the essence of your brand?
MamaBear Foods is an award winning food brand with a commitment to taste, quality and sustainability We produce a range of healthy condiments including an award winning reduced sugar tomato ketchup.
How did your career pathway bring you to this point in the business?
At University I started in law but I didn’t finish my degree as I just didn’t have the love for it. I suppose quite early on I realised that if something wasn’t working then I was better off changing direction. I was always drawn to the written word and to psychology so completed my degree in English and Social Psychology through the Open University, did a Nursing diploma along the way plus gained qualifications in Counselling and life coaching. I suppose I have always been curious and have had a thirst for knowledge.. I never felt dropping out from my law degree was a mistake ora regret ( my parents thought otherwise) I saw it as a huge learning to trust my gut in my decision making and if something didn’t feel right, then it probably wasn’t. I suppose my career path has been quite unconventional in that I have never had a clear pathway in a career and have always combined working for myself with paid work. I ran a night club in galway for a while, worked in theatre and nursed, I taught English around Europe.
Living in Sicily really taught me how to cook, how to work with great ingredients. I met my partner in Sicily And we spent so much of our time there eating and drinking! I learnt to cook properly in Sicily. After I had children I realised that the job I had wasn’t working (on call 50 hour weeks) and again, changed direction. Having 3 siblings in food businesses definitely gave me the confidence to start my own. And fail if it happened. Thankfully my business has gone from strength to strength and I am now helping other entrepreneurs through mentoring programmes and life coaching.
When did you consider yourself a success?
Ha, I still don’t really. I suppose dropping my first batch of ketchup into my local Supervalu in Glanmire the night we got the first big cook done. It was still hot going on the shelves that night! I remember looking at my daughter helping me put it on the shelf with the store manager and really felt like I had achieved something. That I had gone from idea to an actual listing with an actual product with barcodes and labels and nutritional analysis. That I had done it. Pitching to Aldi and getting a listing with them 4 months after launching was also pretty amazing. It brought my focus from local to National and now I have my sights set on global.
What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?
You have nothing to lose in life in pursuing your creative ideas and dreams. Be bold, don’t play small and trust your gut. And moisturise and wear SPF!
What challenges does your industry face?
Right now with a recession on the way I worry that people will choose cheaper versions of foods. The ingredients I use are expensive. Most food service has finished for the moment and it’s hard to know what that will look like once it gets back up and running. I have found it difficult to launch my new products in the middle of a global pandemic but to be fair my sales have been good. I have a loyal customer base who I am so grateful for supporting me through this time. It has kept my business afloat when I know so many businesses that have had to fold.
How do you push through your worst times?
I tell myself I am human and that I have one trip around this block to try out new things and ideas. If something is working, I go with it but if something clearly isn’t I push for a while and then I wait to see what happens. I trust in myself now. I have a really supportive group of entrepreneur friends and that is a huge support. Getting straight up advice from siblings who are in the food industry is also really great. A family member will be a lot more straight talking with you than maybe a friend who knows how emotionally attached you are to a product or an idea that just may not be feasible.
I ask questions and I listen but I stay true to my own values. Two years ago everyone was telling me to go with a plastic squeezy bottle. I knew it was the wrong move for my company and held to my No. Thankfully.
I mediate most mornings and that is my anchor. I read once that a good day doesn’t absolve you from your practice and so I do get up early most mornings to meditate and to journal. I ask for guidance regularly. If I don’t know something, I ask. And I’m not afraid to make mistakes. Or to cry!
Have you recently developed any new innovative products?
Yes, I have two new flavours I am waiting to get out into supermarkets.
Where are your products stocked?
Aldi Nationwide, selected Supervalu stores and independent stores around the country. Also, on Amazon and selected gift boxes.
