Dublin-based Flynn’s Tomatoes is to spend €1.8m on a major expansion of its tomato-growing facility, allowing the company to slash carbon emissions.

Located at Balheary, Swords, the investment will see the development of new greenhouse facilities and a 2km-long connection to the national gas network.

The company’s move to natural gas as its main source of energy will reduce its carbon emissions by up to 10%.

However, almost all - up to 90% - of the remaining carbon emissions will then be captured and absorbed by the tomato plants in the greenhouse system.

Reducing carbon footprint

Commenting on the development, managing director Martin Flynn said: “Our customers want to see the steps we are taking to reduce our carbon footprint. Major retailers only work with suppliers who are driving down their emissions.

“Switching to natural gas, in tandem with our own natural carbon-capture process, is helping us to achieve that in a very organic way,” he continued.

The company are major suppliers of tomatoes to Aldi.

Over 30,000 businesses are currently connected to the national gas network.

By doing so, these companies will be able to gradually replace natural gas with renewable, carbon-neutral and ultimately zero-carbon gases, such as biomethane and hydrogen.

Flynn’s Tomatoes is a third-generation family enterprise run by father and son William and Martin Flynn.

The company employs 25 people and is a major supplier of tomatoes to the Irish retail market. In 2019, the company signed a €14m contract to supply Aldi with Irish tomatoes.