A spotlight was shined on six of Ireland’s leading indigenous food and drinks producers as Maxol announced the winners of its inaugural Homegrown at Maxol programme. The announcement followed a month-long search for Ireland’s finest small- to medium-sized food and drinks businesses. The aim of the programme is to provide winners with a free listing at up to 72 Maxol stores in the Republic of Ireland, as well as invaluable mentorship along with PR and marketing support.
While the initial programme sought to reward four indigenous producers, such was the calibre and scale of entries that six winners were chosen from more than 100 hotly contested submissions:
The White Hag (Sligo), an award-winning independent brewery specialising in the finest contemporary beer with the influence of ancient styles.
All About Kombucha (Galway), a freshly fermented sparkling tea made from organic ingredients.
Good4U (Sligo), a range of functional, healthy snacks.
Sage Meal Solutions (Cork), an extensive range of condiments, meal pots, sides, bakes and pies.
The Luxury Confectionery Company (Cork), makers of premium chocolate tablet bars and truffles.
Absolute Nutrition (Dublin), whose range includes convenient, “functional” protein and energy snacks.
An expert panel of judges, including Corinna Hardgrave of The Irish Times, reviewed the entries before the six winners were finalised and one outstanding producer, All About Kombucha was crowned inaugural Homegrown at Maxol Champion for 2023. More than 200 retailers cast their vote at Maxol’s recent Retailer Conference at The K Club, with All About Kombucha securing the overall title.
Keith Loftus and Emmett Kerrigan, creators of All About Kombucha, spoke about being crowned the inaugural Homegrown at Maxol champions, “We’re delighted; ‘buzzing’ as Emmett would say! We joked that the only thing better than getting a hole in one in The K Club was being crowned Homegrown at Maxol champions in the first year of the competition.
“The importance of awards such as Homegrown cannot be overstated here,” they add. “We’re always impressed to see the best of what Ireland’s producers bring to these types of events. Securing the listing, not to mention all of the additional support that comes with this programme is invaluable to us and we are looking forward to seeing our products in Maxol fridges over the coming weeks.”
Says Maxol Group chief executive Brian Donaldson: “The decision to award six local producers in our inaugural Homegrown at Maxol programme is a clear indication of just how good Ireland’s artisan food and drinks sector is right now. The win will not only help drive much-deserved awareness for these amazing producers, but it will hopefully enable them to scale up and open doors to new opportunities.
“Maxol strives to be at the heart of communities right across Ireland, and we’re proud to play our part in spotlighting these wonderful local producers and products and look forward to running this programme again to support even more local producers.”
Homegrown at Maxol was launched in partnership with Champion Green, an initiative that supports local businesses across Ireland.
This is the first programme of its kind in the forecourt and convenience retail sector to offer immediate and tangible support to local businesses across Ireland. It’s a central part of Maxol’s focus on expanding its range of homegrown products across its network, reflecting its transition in the food and drinks arena.
All About Kombucha
Established in 2017 by two young Galwegian entrepreneurs, All About Kombucha brews freshly fermented sparkling tea from organic ingredients. After graduating from university, Emmett Kerrigan and Keith Loftus emigrated to Vancouver, which is where they tried kombucha for the first time. Returning to Ireland, they struggled to find a worthy successor to their newfound favourite brew and so All About Kombucha was born.
The success of the company lies in the ethos and commitment of the founders. Their Kombucha is live and unpasteurized, meaning all its health benefits remain intact. Emmett and Keith have a deep commitment to the value of their product, their community and the environment. Their sustainable brewing and transparent practices are rooted in five core company values: be sound, cause minimal harm, work hard, uncap creativity, and practice self-actualisation.
The White Hag
The White Hag Irish Brewing Company is an award-winning craft brewery in Sligo specialising in contemporary beer with the influence of ancient styles. Built by a young Irish team and with a brew team bringing experience from across Europe, it is regarded as one of the most innovative and modern Irish breweries today.
The White Hag is a mythical character and entity who is essentially Mother Nature. The brewery has undertaken a mission to make great Irish beers, and in some cases recreate beers that have not been made here for hundreds of years. Their outstanding range of IPAs, sour beers and stouts saw them crowned Irish Brewery of the year in 2022, for the second time. The White Hag export their famous beers across Europe and even into Asia. They are world famous for their international brewery festival Hagstravaganza, held every August at their modern brewery in Ballymote, Sligo.
Sage Meal Solutions
Sage Meal Solutions, created in Cork in 2020 by multi-award-winning TV chef Kevin Aherne, includes a vast range of condiments, meal pots, funky sides, bakes and pies. These tried and tested recipes include high-quality Irish ingredients with no preservatives or additives and the condiments and dips are a great addition to any larder for everyday use. Sage’s meal pots and pies are a delicious easy option for a meal at any time of the day and the company’s ranch dressing has won several IQF awards.
The Luxury Confectionery Company
Cork-based Luxury Confectionery Company make a premium 42 per cent Milk Chocolate Couverture, which then goes into their range of chocolate tablet bars and truffles. This chocolate couverture is made at their own facility using their universal conche machines, patiently grinding batches for 17-24 hours to create the perfect product for customers to enjoy. The best part about their chocolate is that it has less sugar and more cocoa, and their chocolate occasion and location lines are an excellent gifting option for busy customers.
Good4U
A multi-award-winning, wholesome family business in Sligo, Good4U produces an on-trend innovative range of functional, healthy foods including snacks for kids and adults, salad toppers, and breakfast boosts. Being an Origin Green member for the past six years, this close-knit family business offers a range of products that are 100 per cent natural and contain only whole-food, plant-based ingredients.
Absolute Nutrition
Founded in Dublin in 2014 by Jo Davey, a trained holistic nutritionist, Absolute Nutrition is an Irish snack food brand and manufacturer with an award-winning range including convenient, “functional” protein and energy snacks that hit that sweet tooth craving. Not only is Absolute Nutrition’s philosophy one of minimal processing but it is also about taking care of our planet and reducing, reusing, and recycling. All their packaging is fully recyclable or reusable and they boast a zero-food waste policy in their bakery.
Such was the interest in its inaugural Homegrown programme, Maxol is already planning a second run to support even more local producers. So, if you are a food or drinks business looking for new opportunities, keep an eye on Maxol’s social media pages, https://homegrown.maxol.ie/.
Maxol is Ireland’s leading family-owned forecourt and convenience retailer, operating in Irish communities for more than 102 years. For more information, head to https://homegrown.maxol.ie/.