Where do you source your ingredients and raw materials from?

We work closely with producers such as Keelings in Dublin, Clarke’s Fresh Fruit in Meath, Sunnyside Fruit Farm in Cork, Kearns Fruit Farm in Wexford and The Apple Farm in Tipperary to ensure that, wherever possible, our jars contain 100% Irish fruit. For oranges and lemons and other fruit, we have to go to Spain. For the future we are considering a fruit-growing project of our own and have acquired about 10 acres for this purpose.

How did you develop your business?

Over the past three decades, we have grown the business and moved to bigger premises four times, increasing our capacity with every move. Naturally, every move meant financial investment, mostly from retained profits, and with a little help from the bank, which seemed very keen to give us money. We also engaged in a business expansion scheme, which worked successfully and satisfactorily for us. The last move was the most ambitious, and costly, but worth it because we can now tender for business in Europe and even further afield.

Where do you sell you products?

We sell 80% through retail supermarkets with the balance going to food service.

What are the challenges in scaling a small family enterprise into a food business supplying large retailers?

It is extremely challenging. There are many criteria to meet such as registering with the HSE, operating food safety procedures, setting up an approved food preparation kitchen, as well as knowing and adhering to European food legislation. That is before you produce any food for sale. You can never think that you are in a comfortable position because you don’t know when something you never expected will arise and challenge you even more.

Do you have any plans to export?

We are beginning an 18-month programme with Bord Bia to seek markets abroad for our products. We have recruited a new marketing expert in house to undertake this project.

How important are supermarkets to help you scale your business?

We have found that as many supermarkets are now international, the Irish commercial buyer may well recommend our products to their UK counterparts, or their counterparts on mainland Europe. These recommendations are invaluable to us as a business, and have been responsible for a very big increase in our turnover in the past few years.

How do you offset the seasonal cycle of fruit growth?

Different fruits have different growing seasons, so we source all year, but have to freeze fruit to maintain supply all year round.

What is your secret to succeeding in the agri-food sector?

Maintaining our high quality and high standards at all times is critical. We refuse to use any chemically derived ingredients, bulking agents or artificial preservatives in our products.