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TOO MANY PRODUCTS are passed off as Irish when they are really made cheaply overseas then packaged and marketed as local goods, one food manufacturer says.
“People are using the words ‘home-made’ and ‘artisan’ with almost gay abandon,” Colm Healy, who for the past decade has been running Skelligs Chocolate in Co Kerry, told TheJournal.ie.
“The Irish thing is important, but it annoys me when people aren’t playing fair.”
Healy’s company is among a growing number of boutique Irish producers which are making their marks in the food industry.
The sector has become a booming field for startups, with new training grounds like the Food Academy programme recently springing up.
Healy took over the business about a decade ago after another couple established the Ballinskelligs chocolate factory in the mid-90s.
And despite a devastating fire in 2010 which nearly destroyed the operation, he said the company had been able to increase its turnover fivefold since the factory was rebuilt, to about €1.1 million a year.
Healy said food tourism was now a big part of the business after he realised the benefit of opening up the production facility to visitors. It now employs 15 full-time staff and an extra five, seasonal workers.
And being able to show buyers that the product was genuinely locally-made remained a major selling point in a market where chocolate was often sold as a cheap commodity.
The big advantage for us it that we can show people the product being made – they can ask questions and there is nothing hidden,” he said.
People want Irish
A recent survey from lobby group Love Irish Food, set up to promote locally-manufactured groceries, found 87% of people tried to buy local products when they could – but over €3 billion in food and drinks was still being imported each year.
Healy said he believed people should choose Irish producers wherever possible – as long as the quality and value-for-money were there.
“For me it’s quite simple – I would rather keep the business at home,” he said.
All things being equal, I would absolutely buy Irish – I’m proud of my country and I want to support it where I can. And I’m happy to pay a premium for that, just not a big premium.”
1. Think like a big business
“You should be thinking like a big business from day one and planning all your processes for that – keep in your mind that is what your aiming for.”
2. Be true to your core message
“Decide what you stand for and make sure you are true to that. For us, we make good quality chocolate. We will make products for (other brands), but this is the price point because this is the quality – irrespective of whose name is on it, we won’t compromise on quality because we need to be able to stand over the product.”
3. Make sure you keep the cash flowing
“I see a lot of people naively going into business who are so delighted when they get a contract, but then they don’t look at the 60-day payments period and then they run into major cashflow problems.”
4. Be your customer
“Research … if you were the one who was going to buy what you are selling, what are the aspects that you would want to see in the product?”
5. Keep an eye on the competition
“See what they are doing and find your niche – see if there is a gap in the market you can exploit.”
6. Don’t be afraid to ask
“There are a lot of people out there with a lot of experience who are happy to help, but newcomers are often afraid to ask.”
This month, as part of TheJournal.ie’s ongoing small and medium enterprise (SME) focus, we look at product provenance – how buying local matters and the importance of traceability.
To view previous articles in our SME series click HERE.
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Skellig chocolate is so good!
My pet peeve is the guaranteed Irish symbol ‘disappearing’ on the special offer packs of Galtee and Denny rashers. It’s very misleading to sell Irish meat only some of time.
Just on the subject of Bacon.
I never really thought there was that much purpose to the farm traceability on meats such as in Aldi where the farmers name and location is marked on packs of chicken until that was I read the story this week about Rory O’Brien and the horrible conditions at his piggery where pigs were eating each other.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/cork-pig-farmer-pleads-guilty-to-cruelty-and-neglect-310743.html
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/farmer-admits-to-cruelty-after-pig-is-eaten-alive-30966037.html
If every pack of bacon was marked with the producers name then I would certainly never buy from him again. And I would probably entirely boycott the brand which sourced from him.
It sounds like he won’t have much trouble paying the fine that’s for sure.
Jesus, he’s one evil looking f*#ker. Scary to think that the likes of him could be providing us with food. I doubt any decent store or butcher will be buying from him again.
The honest truth is that, unless you buy free range bacon (and even then check how much they are allowed out in the day, eg is it just a small concrete yard for a short time) then you are supporting the very horrible conditions that are the reality of more or less all Irish pig farming. Pigs are smart and social animals but their lives indoors in Irish intensive rearing systems is truly unacceptable. Ask questions before you buy.
http://www.ciwf.ie/farminfo/farmfacts_pigs.html
Here’s what Compassion in World Farming say about pig farming in Ireland. The truth is that unless you buy free range you are supporting a very cruel and horrible system that is the norm in Ireland.
I’ll keep an eye out for one of their Easter eggs.
Where are they sold?
Also just looked at the trip advisor reviews for the factory tour and they are very complimentary.
Congratulations as that can’t be easy.
Their factory is excellent. Lots of samples and a really bright, clean setup. I love how they’ve even thought of having steps at some of the tasting counters especially for kids.
I’ve bought their brittle flat flavoured choc in Tesco.
When I was doing my training for primary teaching, I had to do my three weeks of the Gaeltacht in Ballinskelligs a few years ago in July. While the fact that the locals couldn’t even say “Conas atá tú?” is a whole other story in itself and made being in the “Gaeltacht” quite pointless, I have to say that you could travel the length and breadth of this world and you will not find anywhere as breathtakingly beautiful as that part of Ireland. And best of all, it was sunny almost all of the time while we were there. As we all know, Ireland in the sun, no matter where, is breathtaking. But Ballinskelligs in the sun is just a whole other level.
Of course the chocolate is going to be amazing when the people who make it get to see that place in all it’s beauty every day of the year. Best of luck for the future!
I really couldn’t be arsed buying Irish. Usually just twice as dear. I buy most items of amazon. Usually works out around 30% cheaper than this kip of a country.
Would the milk not be gone off by the time they deliver it?
Do Amazon supply you with your dole too? €188 vs STG£65 is hardly a great exchange rate now is it?
@Dave. This country certainly dont need you calling it names and not supporting it. This is not a hip of a country. This is a beautiful country and to keep it that way we must all support local. If you want to eat cheap sh#te out of Lidl aldi thats fine. But maybe you would be better off living in the countries whos supermarkets and produce you buy. You dont support ireland
Ah the old Naysayers trolls – pity you can’t do basic sums, otherwise you would know that Ireland is now CEAPER than UK for most items – Shops in Dundalk & Sligfo are havign a boomtime with shoppers from NI crossign the border.
btw exchange rate is 1.37 inthe banks, so £10 sterling = €13.70. Bet you didn’t know that! TROLL
Why are you still here so. Ireland doesn’t people like you
Lidl milk, made in Ireland. What do they they not say made in NORTHERN IRELAND. Irish Republic has NDC logo on it.
Ah yes, buy cheap stuff from abroad and fill our shopping centres with foreign retailers but expect teachers for our kids, cops on the streets and jobs for us all. You won’t find too many Dunne Stores or Supervalu( or any other non German retailers) in Germany, Sweden or Finland, the shoppers would shun them.
It’s annoying trying to get supermarkets to confirm whether or not items bearing their own symbol for made in Ireland really ARE made in Ireland (ie most of Cully and Sully stuff now made in the UK, many supermarkets we consider Irish have their own brand ready meals that you would think are made in Ireland, but often they are not). I want to buy Irish. Best thing is to look at the label for a tiny symbol that has a black oval with black lettering in it that will say, for example, UK and EC. That tells you where it is made.
have your say