In 2009, most people had never heard of chia in Ireland or Europe. It was the last thing banks would have put their money in,” says Ray Owens of Chia Bia, which recently landed a deal with Tesco to supply 150 stores in the UK.

It’s the latest success for the Tramore-based company, which has led the way in bringing the humble chia seed – the highest plant source of Omega 3 – not just to Ireland, but also Europe, with exports forecasted to climb from 55% to 80% by the end of 2014.

Ray, who was raised on a dairy farm in Co Meath and previously worked with ABP and Irish Country Meats, runs Chia Bia with Barrie Rogers, a financial consultant who discovered the benefits of chia first-hand while on holiday in the US, after it helped to ease inflammation caused by a bad back.

A seed that goes back to the Aztecs, its status as a “super food” had been espoused in the US since the late ’90s by Dr Wayne Cotes. He discovered its properties after leading a project aimed at finding alternative crops for South American farmers.

As well as Omega 3 – two dessert spoons provide twice as much as an 80g portion of salmon – chia is high in fibre, calcium, iron and magnesium. Because it has no taste or smell, it’s easy to incorporate in your diet, whether sprinkled on porridge or whizzed in a smoothie.

“I met Barrie a week after he came home and we said: ‘Maybe there’s something in it,’” says Ray.

Banks didn’t want to know about the venture, so using savings to cover start-up costs of up to €150,000, the two men set up Chia Bia, launching in 100 health shops in February 2010. Crucial to their success was meeting Dr Coates at a seminar in the States and setting up an agreement whereby he would help source and approve the seed for Chia Bia.

“He was the expert in the field and could point us in the right direction to farmers who were growing the best seed,” says Ray.

Not that importing chia was without its challenges.

“In the port of Chile there have been strikes and delays – it’s nothing for a boat not to leave for two or three weeks when it is a four-week journey anyway,” says Ray.

In addition, the chia seed originally had to go to Canada to be milled, before continuing to Ireland, but the support of LEADER has seen Chia Bia recently invest €70,000 in its own specialised milling machine.

While Chia Bia started in the health shops, the growth in the gluten-free and “free-from” markets meant that the multiples came calling. Chia Bia is now available in over 2,000 shops in Ireland and the UK, with the Tesco deal the result of taking part in the supermarket giant’s export programme.

Indeed, having won the best exporter title in the 2014 Enterprise Ireland awards, Chia Bia has started to make inroads to the lucrative Scandinavian market, as well as eastern Europe, Italy, Spain and the Middle East. There are other companies selling chia products, but Ray believes their association with Dr Coates gives them an edge, as does their product range. As well as their whole seed and milled chia, they produce a blueberry and cranberry range (using a patented technology to retain as much of the nutritional benefit of the fruit as possible), as well as chia bars and cookies, the production of which is outsourced. Even Brennan’s bread is now producing a chia wholegrain bread.

“I think it’s the first time old Mr Brennan has put someone else’s name alongside theirs on the packaging,” says Ray.

Now employing 15 people, Ray believes the future is bright for Chia Bia, with market research estimating that the chia industry will be worth $1.1 billion by 2020.

“There’s huge development there for the likes of Chia Bia and other companies, and I think we’re primed to take a good chunk of it,” he says.

All the way from the sunny-south east?

“There’s a good road network from here, Rosslare is only an hour and a half down the road and then you are in to the UK, and, on top of that, you’ve got the weather,” he laughs.

www.chiabia.com