Country Crest, the fresh produce and consumer foods business based in North Dublin and owned by the Hoey family, recorded pre-tax profits of just over €1m for 2018 – a 9% rise year on year. Operating profits in the business increased 13% to €1.2m, as profit margins held steady at just under 5%. Sales for the year grew by 10% to €26.5m.

Established by brothers Michael and Gabriel Hoey in the 1990s, Country Crest has become the sole supplier of potatoes for Tesco Ireland.