Vegan

Living on the veg!

W i t h t h e m a i n g r e e n h o u s e g a s C O2 r e a c h i n g r e c o r d l e v e l s l a s t y e a r o f 4 1 7 p a r t s p e r m i l l i o n , a g r o w i n g n u m b e r o f c o n s u m e r s a r e l o o k i n g f o r m o r e s u s t a i n a b l e o p t i o n s t o c o u n t e r a c t t h e e n v i r o n m e n t a l i m p a c t o f t h e m e a t i n d u s t r y , w h e t h e r t h e y ’ r e f l e x i t a r i a n s , v e g a n s o r m e a t - e a t e r s

As more Irish consumers consider the impact of food they eat on the planet, many have started to embrace plantbased diets. Whether consumers make the switch out of health, animal or environmental concern, the fact remains that having an enticing in-store vegan range has never been more essential.

While Bord Bia estimated that 8% of the

Alpro MyCuppa is the first plant-based product that performs like semi-skimmed milk in tea

A perfect cuppa

Did you know, we Irish are the heaviest tea drinkers per capita in the world*, averaging five cups per day, with many people drinking even more. However, the great Irish tea drinker has been left behind in the plant-based revolution, until now. Alpro has launched a total game changer, Alpro MyCuppa, the one and only plant-based product that performs like semi-skimmed milk in tea, meaning one thing, no curdling!

Working hard with tea-lovers and teaexperts alike, Alpro developed MyCuppa Irish population were vegetarian and another 2% vegan in 2018, the appetite for vegan foods is greater than veganism itself. Indeed, Euromonitor’s recent Health and Nutrition Survey found that flexitarians account for 42% of global consumers, while 92% of plant-based meals consumed in the UK in 2018 were eaten by non-vegans.

To meet the demand in a fast-growing

specifically for the Irish tea drinker, delivering a cuppa that is 100% plant-based, low in sugars, and made with sustainably sourced soya.

Alpro MyCuppa ticks all the boxes when it comes to colour, texture, and flavour. That tannin tartness consumers find when mixing plant-based options with tea is gone and MyCuppa allows everyone to get the perfect colour to their cuppa, while letting the flavour of tea truly shine through, and it’s just creamy enough to let the taste linger for longer.

If that wasn’t enough. Alpro MyCuppa will be available in smaller, perfectly-portionedfor-tea 750ml cartons containing 25 x 30ml serves – or slightly more for those who are a ‘just a drop!’ kind of tea drinker.

Alpro MyCuppa is currently stocked at Tesco, SuperValu and Dunnes Stores, priced at €2.39.

*(Source: https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/sevenfacts-you-didnt-know-14028393)

Oat so tasty!

Flahavan’s is one of Ireland’s most trusted family food brands and has been providing consumers with wholesome, natural oat-based products for seven generations. Based in Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, the company prides itself on the simplicity and consistent quality of its product range which comes not only from its unique milling expertise, but also from sourcing the highest quality oats from local farmers based within 60 miles of its mill.

Recognising changing patterns in consumer market, many food producers have developed exciting plant-based products. In 2019, Mintel research reported that the term ‘vegan’ was the third fastest growing on-pack claim for food and drink launches over the last five years. Here, we take a closer look at some of the brands driving the latest innovations within this in-demand category.

behaviour around health and the growing trend toward plant-based diets, Flahavan’s is well positioned to cater to the needs of consumers embracing a vegan way of life with its wide range of traditional and organic porridge offerings. Porridge is a simple breakfast solution for vegan consumers – a single-ingredient oat product providing energy, fibre and nutrients to help fuel busy lives.

New product introductions

Flahavan’s has recently added two new veganfriendly products to its Granola range – No Added Sugar Raisin, Cashew & Almond and No Added Sugar Strawberry & Almond. High in fibre and providing a source of energy, these new granolas are packed full of real fruit pieces, nuts and seeds as well as Flahavan’s

Chocolate & Hazelnut is the newest addition to Flahavan’s vegan-friendly Irish Oaty Flapjacks range

finest Irish oats, toasted to perfection. The latest addition to Flahavan’s veganfriendly Irish Oaty Flapjacks range is Chocolate & Hazelnut, combining rich Belgian dark chocolate and roasted hazelnut pieces for an indulgent taste experience. Made with over 40% wholegrain oats, each flapjack provides 7% of an individual’s daily fibre requirement, helping fill the energy gap between meals. Other varieties in the range include Original, Choc Chip, Dark Choc & Orange, Cranberry & Orange and Lemon & Poppyseed. Launched in August 2020, Flahavan’s range of Oat Drinks includes Barista, Vitamin Rich and Organic varieties. Made with Irish oats, the Flahavan’s Oat Drinks range contains no added sugar and offers a deliciously subtle oaty flavour, which has proven extremely popular among Irish consumers of plant-based drinks. As consumer demand shifts more toward healthy vegan-friendly breakfast, snacking and drink offerings, Flahavan’s says its product range will continue to evolve and expand to cater to this market’s needs. Flahavan’s is a proud member of Love Irish Food.

Unbelievably good

Consumer habits are constantly evolving and 2020 saw a continued shift in the grocery industry as more and more people look for meat free alternatives to add to their weekly meal plans. There is a clear trend among Irish consumers who are consuming less meat in their daily routine for a myriad of reasons. Whether that’s for ethical, health or environmental reasons, among others, the chilled meat free category has increased by +29% year-on-year*. As experts in meat for 200 years, Denny has always been at the forefront of recognizing emerging trends in the industry and re-imagining products to cater for the needs of customers across the country. 2020 saw Denny embrace the opportunity to expand its range with one of the most significant innovation launches for the brand in recent years, the ‘unbelievable’ Meat Free range. The range originally consisted of chilled sausages, burgers and mince, but in 2021 Denny expanded into frozen Sausages and Burgers, as well as launching a Meat Free Pudding and Bacon product also. The products have been developed with soya protein, coconut oil and the famous Henry Denny signature seasoning ensuring that the range delivers on the great and delicious taste of Denny. Despite being new in the meat free space, Denny is a category leader and the fastest growing meat free brand in Ireland**. The Denny Meat Free range is available nationwide. Prices range from €2.50 - €3.50 (RRP).

*(Source: Euromonitor ROI - 2019-2020). **(Source: Dunnhumby ROI data up to 29/10/2020)

Spreading happiness

Since The Happy Pear’s humble beginnings in 2004, David and Stephen Flynn set out on a mission to inspire people to make their lives better, by eating more veg and having fun and since then the business has greatly expanded. The Happy Pear business now employs over 70 people and has grown into one of the most vibrant and renowned plant-based businesses on the Irish market; with award-winning products exclusively available in SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide. The plant-based food phenomenon and Irish business success story now comprises of: • Two wholefood cafés/food stores and a coffee roastery • A sprout farm producing wheatgrass, healthy living organic sprouts and microgreens • A food manufacturing and distribution business • Over 60 products sold nationwide in SuperValu and Centra Stores • An online e-learning business with seven health and lifestyle-based courses which have seen over 50,000 participants from over 70 different countries • An online community of well over 1 million followers • Five bestselling cookbooks published across Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands. In 2019, The Happy Pear entered into a partnership with the Musgrave Group. Musgrave and The Happy Pear are expanding and developing an extensive range of new products making plant-based eating more accessible to all. This collaboration has allowed The Happy Pear to continue to spread the good word and do great things with their cafes, cook books and online courses, while still finding time to inspire consumers with wholesome, great tasting food that is centred around healthy eating and sustainability.

Jack up mealtimes!

Jacked-Up is an exciting new plant-based range of jackfruit dishes that make mealtimes easier, healthier and tastier

Jacked-Up has created three tasty vegan products full of flavour that will allow consumers to enjoy nutritious jackfruit in all its glory. These jackfruit products contain nothing but jacked-up tasty goodness packed full of nutrition, low in sugar and calories and with the additional benefit of being similar in taste and texture to a recognisable food - pulled pork - making it the ultimate meat replacement. Jacked-Up was the brainchild of business partners Gursharan Singh and Binu Varghese. Both have roots in India and are involved in the Asian retail and distribution industry with 20 years of experience in Ireland and with a meal production facility of 5,000sq ft with chill and frozen storage operating under Food License. The full range consists of Jacked-Up Tex Mex, Jacked-Up Indian Curry and Jacked-Up Pulled BBQ options. The Jacked-Up range is made in Ireland and comes in a 300g portion for two, vegan approved with an RRP €3.99. For sales queries, contact Binu at +353 1 802 4888.

Enjoy a plant-based break

After much anticipation, Nestlé’s new vegan KitKat arrived in SuperValu and Centra stores nationwide last month.

KitKat V features smooth chocolate blended with a rice-based alternative to milk that balances the crisp wafer. The bar was

Nestlé’s new vegan KitKat combines crisp wafer and smooth chocolate blended with a rice-based milk alternative

developed by chocolatiers and food scientists in Nestlé’s Research and Development Centre in York, the original home of KitKat.

“Our challenge when we set out to create a vegan-friendly KitKat was to recreate this iconic product using plant-based alternatives,” explained Louise Barrett, head of the Nestlé Confectionery Product Technology Centre.

“To achieve this, we worked very hard to get the right balance between the milk alternative and the cocoa,” she said. “The result is a vegan chocolate that we are very proud of, and I hope all KitKat fans will love it as much as we do.”

“KitKat has been championing breaks since 1934 and while people’s need for breaks hasn’t changed, the way we take them has,” added Maria McKenna, confectionery marketing manager, Nestlé Ireland. “KitKat is such a successful brand because it has evolved throughout its history, and the arrival of our vegan-friendly bar means there is now a delicious alternative for anyone looking to enjoy a plant-based break.”

Nestlé is helping people embrace more plant-based food, with options across its wide range of food and beverages, including dairy-free coffee mixes and Carnation Vegan condensed milk.

KitKat V is certified vegan by the Vegan Society. Like the rest of the KitKat range, it is made using 100% certified sustainable cocoa, sourced through the Nestlé Cocoa Plan in conjunction with the Rainforest Alliance.

Healthy meals for busy people

Roots and Shoots was founded out of the need for tasty and healthy, plant-based meals that could be eaten on the go. Its meal bowls and soups are packed full of hearty goodness and mouth-watering flavours, for full-time vegans or the fast growing number of flexitarians. Roots and Shoots vegan meals are on-shelf in selected Tesco Ireland stores, Joyce’s of Galway and selected Fresh The Good Food Supermarket stores.

The company takes great pride in the making of its products, and to make sure they’re as tasty as possible, the chefs use classic techniques throughout the cooking process. Starting with lightly toasting spices to bring out their aromas, they then combine these with gently sweated onions and vegetables to fuse together all of their gorgeous flavours. Each meal bowl is slow cooked for over two hours to develop their flavours and textures, which has the added bonus of eliminating the need for artificial additives to flavour the meal, making all the dishes natural, hearty and healthy.

There’s nothing added to the meals or soups, no additives, no preservatives and they are naturally gluten free. Roots and Shoots meals are calorie friendly and made in the group’s nut free facility in Galway, using fully recyclable packaging. They are a generous portion size, developed for single serving but easily stretched to two with sides.

What’s more, Roots and Shoots meals and soups are inspired by global flavours. The vegan meals include spicy and creamy South Indian inspired Kerala Aubergine Curry, a Chickpea and Butternut Tagine infused with cumin and coriander, Chana Palak Masala, a chickpea and spinach curry packed with warming flavours and rich tasting textures and spicy Green Lentil Dahl, slow cooked with lemongrass, fresh coriander and chillies.

Check out www.rootsandshoots.com or find Roots and Shoots on Facebook and Instagram; enquiries to sales@galmere.ie.

Roots and Shoots is inspired by global flavours, including a Kerala Aubergine Curry, Chana Palak Masala, Green Lentil Dahl and Chickpea & Butternut Tagine

Brilliant bases

Pizza de Piero stonebaked bases received a Gold Blas na hEireann Award last year

Pizza da Piero offers a blank canvas for vegan pizza lovers. These stonebaked pizza bases were crowned Gold winners at the Blas na hEireann food awards last year.

Italian master baker Gianpiero De Vallier and his Irish wife Cliona set up Pizza da Piero in 2007 when friends and family were blown away by the great-tasting pizza bases Piero was making.

Piero’s traditional method of creating the dough is over a two day period and they attribute the unique flavour of the bases to the long fermentation process. The ingredients are simple and contain no preservatives, sugars or additives and are also vegan friendly.

Over the years, Cliona says she has seen a thriving community of Irish vegan pizza lovers try out the bases and share their great experiences online. Nothing beats a good, fresh base and with Pizza da Piero that’s exactly what you get. A fresh pizza base made from traditional Italian recipes that have been passed down to Piero from his family in Italy.

Rising early, Piero makes the bases fresh and daily in his Dublin bakery, available in packs of two large 12” bases or four mini 6” bases.

Porter & Nash’s sauces taste and look like meatbased sauces but are entirely plantbased

Endless versatility

Porter & Nash’s range of plant-based sauces were created by Gavin Cassidy and Eoin Lennon, both professional chefs with over 50 years’ combined experience in the food industry including training at 2 star Michelin level. “We met while topping up our qualifications with a culinary arts degree in TU Dublin Tallaght and developed a range of plant-based Gravy and Sauces made with Roasted Root Vegetables and Irish Sea Kelp,” the duo said. The range is made with a glutenfree recipe, with no fat, low salt and low sugar; they taste and look like meat-based sauces but are entirely plant-based.

The range of products can be used as a cooking sauce or a pouring sauce for finishing roast dinners; their versatility is endless as they can be used as a base for soups, Asian broths, casseroles, stews or to complement beef, pork, chicken, fish and vegetable dishes.

The group knows educating children’s taste buds and knowing how to utilise healthy nutritious food products in family meals can be difficult for parents so they have created a cookbook showing how to incorporate the sauces into delicious dishes for all the family, which can be found on the website, porterandnash.ie.

Wholesome ingredient list

One of the hottest new vegan brands to hit the shelves in 2021 has to be Thanks Plants, created by Dublin vegan Aisling Cullen. When Aisling couldn’t understand the ingredient list of many meat alternatives in the supermarket, she decided to use her own recipes to create Thanks Plants.

The Thanks Plants range is packed with wholesome ingredients such as cannellini beans, pearl barley, vegetables and spices. The main ingredient, seitan, is what gives them a meaty bite. Products include a choice of sausages including Apple & Sage, Sundried Tomato & Herb and The Frankfurter. There is also an Everyday Roast, stuffed with wild rice and apricots which is the perfect protein alternative for a family roast.

“The response to Thanks Plants has been amazing,” says Aisling. “I get messages from customers regularly telling me they are obsessed with our products! I’ve got a burger in the pipeline for this summer and once again it will have a really wholesome ingredient list. People love the fact that Thanks Plants have that meaty bite but are full of great ingredients, plus they are packed with protein.

“We’ve also had great support from SuperValu and enjoy a strong rate of sale with all of our retailers,” she adds.

Thanks Plants offers a range of sausages including Apple & Sage, Sundried Tomato & Herb and The Frankfurter The Thanks Plants Everyday Roast is stuffed with wild rice and apricots

East Coast Bakehouse’s new vegan cookie range includes a Cocoa and Hazelnut, Lemon & Almond and Granola with Nuts & Seeds Cookie

Baking better biscuits

At East Coast Bakehouse, the team believes in “Baking Better Biscuits”. That’s why it only sources the finest ingredients to make biscuits and cookies. Based in Drogheda, Co. Louth, the group is a proud member of Love Irish Food. East Coast Bakehouse’s passion for baking is evident in the fact that it has won a Blas na hÉireann award every year since it was established back in 2015.

As a member of Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme, the company is committed to ensuring sustainability is a core element of the business.

East Coast Bakehouse has recently launched a new vegan cookie range. Available in three flavours, the range consists of a Cocoa and Hazelnut, Lemon & Almond and Granola with Nuts & Seeds Cookie. These cookies definitely don’t compromise on taste, and are available in both retail and foodservice formats. According to Sean Murphy, managing director for East Coast Bakehouse, the group has “already secured major listings of the vegan range with Irish, UK, European and International retailers in Asia and the Middle East, with further interest from retailers looking for private label solutions”.

You’ve got the power

2020 has seen Birds Eye extend its focus into plant-based foods with the launch of the Birds Eye Green Cuisine range of meat substitutes and veg foods. In 2021, Birds Eye Green Cuisine introduced ‘chicken-free‘ to its growing range. The successful launch of chicken-free small pieces (Dippers, Strips and Nuggets) and chicken-free large pieces (Grills and Burgers) provide the perfect solution to families who want to reduce their meat-intake, or for flexitarian and vegan diets. A source of iron, fibre, protein, and most of all delicious!

Another flavoursome addition to the Green Cuisine veg foods portfolio this year

The Birds Eye Green Cuisine Falafel Balls are formed from a blend of chickpeas, herbs and spices

is the Falafel Balls, formed from a blend of chickpeas, herbs and spices - they are so versatile and a must-try! Suitable for both vegetarian and vegan diets.

The ‘You’ve Got The Power’ campaign launched in January of this year focuses on the plant-powered goodness of the Green Cuisine range, driving widespread awareness and trial. The campaign has run throughout the year to date, supported by a fully integrated plan through TV, online video, social and content partnerships.

It is a thriving time for the buoyant vegetarian category in frozen. The demand for plant-based foods has increased, and consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the macro trends around the health benefits of red meat reduction and food sustainability. Recognising this, Green Cuisine has grown the range over the past year, offering versatility for all dinner dishes. ■

YOU’VE GOT THE POWER

Rye River appoints new chairman and non-executive director

Rye River Brewing Company has announced the appointment of a new chairman, Neil Everitt and David O’Flanagan as nonexecutive director.

Rye River’s new chairman, Neil Everitt, is a leading international drinks industry executive and entrepreneur with a track record in senior management of listed diversified drinks and hospitality businesses as well as founding and developing a global premium drinks brand. His leadership roles have included four years as European president of Allied Domecq plc and a three year term as group CEO of Londonlisted Stock Spirits Group. Everitt founded Brockmans Gin in 2008 and developed the brand to its position as one of the top three independently owned super-premium gin brands now available in 55 countries. He currently serves as a non-executive director of Jubel Beer and is a former director of Dashen SC, Ethiopia’s second largest brewer.

David O’Flanagan also joins the board as a non-executive director. A chartered accountant by training and profession, he was a corporate finance partner in Deloitte for 21 years including ten years as head of its corporate finance division until his retirement from the firm in 2017. In his corporate finance leadership role in Deloitte he was responsible for its M&A, debt advisory, valuations, transaction services, reorganisation services and forensic accounting practices. He is currently chairman of Dunport Capital Management DAC, a leading provider of non-bank corporate and SME debt capital in Ireland and an emerging player in the UK lower mid-market, and is a member of its investment committee.

Peter O’Donoghue, having served a fiveyear term as chairman, will remain on the board as a non-executive director.

Neil Everitt David O’Flanagan

Britvic Ireland appoints Sian Young as head of people & planet

Sian Young

Britvic Ireland, one of Ireland’s leading soft drinks companies and home to iconic favourites MiWadi, Ballygowan and Club, recently appointed Sian Young to the position of head of people and planet for the island of Ireland market.

An Experimental Psychology graduate of the University of Oxford, Young is an experienced marketeer and sustainability specialist who has worked for Britvic for over 15 years.

Young moved to Ireland in 2001 to take up a position in Unilever Ireland as a graduate trainee, before securing a role in Britvic in 2006. She has worked in various marketing roles across local brands for Britvic, most notably with Ballygowan and MiWadi, and has led many wellbeing-focused campaigns including the Ballygowan Pink and Gold bottle fundraising partnerships as well as sports sponsorship campaigns for the Ryder Cup, Munster Rugby and Dublin GAA.

In 2018 she was seconded to a project leading out the development of a sustainability strategy for Ballygowan, and what began as a short-term project became a longterm endeavour. In January 2020 she was appointed to ‘head of sustainability’, giving her responsibility for the sustainability strategy across the whole Irish business.

In October 2020 she was appointed head of people & planet at Britvic Ireland, which brought together her responsibilities for sustainability with also leading the people strategy for Ireland, working closely with Britvic PLC to ensure that Britvic Ireland is aligned with the broader business. From a planet perspective, she engages with issues such as Britvic Ireland’s carbon footprint, packaging circularity and protection of natural resources; while from a people perspective she is responsible for ensuring that Britvic Ireland takes a responsible and caring approach to the wellbeing of employees, consumers and communities.

Carbery Group appoints new chairperson

Cormac O’Keeffe

Carbery Group, the West Cork-based international ingredients, flavours and awardwinning cheese producer, recently announced that Cormac O’Keeffe, current chairman of Lisavaird Co-op, will succeed TJ Sullivan as chairman of the company.

In addition, Dermot O’Leary, chairman of Bandon Co-op, has been appointed vice-chair of the organisation.

Cormac O’Keeffe, a dairy farmer from Courleigh, Clonakilty, first joined the Lisavaird board in 2006 and has held several roles. He has also previously been vice-chairman of Shinagh Estates and a board member of Munster Bovine and the National Cattle Breeding Centre (NCBC). O’Keefe holds a Diploma in Environmental Science and Social Policy from UCC and is a member of the Carbery Greener Dairy Farms group.

TJ Sullivan will step down from the Carbery board.

Guaranteed Irish appoints Jason Crawford, partner at Grant Thornton, as new chair of its appraisals board

Guaranteed Irish, the business membership network supporting 1600+ homegrown and multinational businesses in Ireland, has appointed Jason Crawford, a partner at Grant Thornton, as the new chairperson of its appraisals board.

Jason Crawford has over two decades of experience in managing complex multi-jurisdiction audit and assurance, as well as technical accounting advisory services, to both domestic private corporates, international organisations and listed groups. He also advises these corporates on technical Irish/UK GAAP and international financial reporting standards (IFRS) matters. His expertise spans a range of sectors including technology, agri-food, retail, construction education and industrial products.

Guaranteed Irish has also welcomed Mark Keller and Karen Deignan to the appraisals board. Mark Keller is an accomplished international sales and marketing director with over 20 years of building businesses across complex markets for multiple industries. He previously served on the board of directors of Guaranteed Irish from April 2017 until December 2020.

Karen Deignan is a co-founder of Sustainability Works, a consultancy focused on accelerating Ireland’s transition to a sustainable future. Over the last 20 years, Deignan has advised multinationals and SMEs in many different industry sectors across the UK and Ireland, the US and Europe. Her strength lies in making the complex world of sustainability simple and engaging, so that people at all levels in an organisation are empowered and motivated to take action.

Jason Crawford Mark Keller Karen Deignan

Plant power: The Happy Pear

and friends! F o l l o w i n g t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f a u n i q u e H a p p y P e a r z o n e a t S u p e r V a l u B l a c k r o c k , w e c a t c h u p w i t h D a r r a g h F l y n n, M D o f p r o d u c t , T h e H a p p y P e a r a n d N i a l l B r o u g h a m, S u p e r V a l u B l a c k r o c k s t o r e m a n a g e r , t o l e a r n m o r e a b o u t t h i s i n n o v a t i v e n e w c o n c e p t

Darragh Flynn, MD of product, The Happy Pear Niall Brougham, SuperValu Blackrock store manager

SL: In today’s competitive market, why do you feel it is so important to offer features such as the plant-based ‘store within a store’ that make stores a destination and focal point for consumers?

Darragh Flynn: Musgrave has always been at the forefront of delivering great food and bringing the latest in food innovation to communities across the island of Ireland. With an eye on consumer trends where in the UK and Irish food and drink market, the vegan claim has grown by 196% between 2015 and 2019*, so it was a natural progression for SuperValu and Centra to embrace and bring plant power to its customers. The Happy Pear is the right fit for Musgrave as the duo has always been in direct contact with the consumer; this is hugely influential in the offering and key to the growth success.

More recently, the latest Red C research conducted in May 2021, showed one in six Irish adults follow a reduced or non-meat diet. The zone also features ‘Friends’ as vegan food products have grown from strength to strength. In the Irish market alone, companies have seen this shift in consumer behaviour to vegan products and have responded with 676 products released over the past five years, showing an increase of 295% since 2015*, 390 of which are included in The Happy Pear dedicated plant-based zone in SuperValu Blackrock.

The goal of this zone is simply ease of shopping and making plant-based eating more accessible; helping customers live their best life!

*(Source: Mintel ‘The Ethical Food Consumer’ Ireland, October 2020).

SL: What are the key factors that have made The Happy Pear brand ethos and product range resonate with Irish shoppers?

Darragh Flynn: The Happy Pear mission is a simple one. They want to help consumers eat well, feel good and live better. Most importantly, the brand is accessible to all, be it the strict vegan or the flexitarian consumer, they have every consumer type and taste covered. Living sustainably is very much a part of The Happy Pear’s ethos and the brand strives to use compostable packaging first and foremost in each product range with recyclable packaging as a minimum requirement. The brand is big on sourcing locally from sustainable suppliers. This really resonated with Musgrave as there are very clear synergies with SuperValu’s sustainability vision relating to environment, sourcing and community.

SL: How extensively has The Happy Pear brand grown since Dave and Steve opened their first store in 2004?

Darragh Flynn: Since its humble beginnings in 2004, David and Stephen Flynn set out on a mission to inspire people to make their lives better through eating more veg and having fun and since then the business has greatly expanded.

The Happy Pear business now employs over 70 people and has grown into one of the most vibrant and renowned businesses on the Irish food scene, with several awardwinning products available through SuperValu, Centra and small independent retail stores. The food phenomenon and Irish business success story now comprises: two wholefood cafes/food stores; a sprout farm producing wheatgrass and healthy living organic sprouts and microgreens; a Happy Pear branded food manufacturing and distribution business producing over 60 products; a coffee roastery producing hand roasted Happy Pear coffee, using the best specialty coffee available; and an online education business with 7 health and lifestyle based courses which have had over 50,000 participants from over 70 different countries.

The brand has an online community of well over 1 million followers and has five bestselling cookbooks published across Ireland, the UK and the Netherlands.

SL: How easy is the new plant-based zone for shoppers to navigate and how extensively are options for different day-parts featured?

Niall Brougham: The new Happy Pear and Friends zone in SuperValu Blackrock is exceptionally easy to navigate as the environment is broken down into different areas, within the zone.

Each day part is covered with a Great Start for Brilliant breakfasts, a Snack Attack area with a range of plant powered treats and snacks, Plant proteins with grains proteins and lentils. The Back to Basics section houses everyday essentials and finally the Chillout section has a huge range of plant powered meals, sides and sauces to help make meal occasions taste better. There is a recipe book zone also where you are sure to be inspired with best-selling books on Health and wellness and a gifting area where you can find ethically sourced gifts for that special someone who wishes to make a small step towards a better world.

The zone covers 30 square metres of a 2,260 square metre store and delivers on presence and practicality for all shopper types.

SL: How well has the zone performed in sales terms at SuperValu Blackrock since launching?

Niall Brougham: Each week since launch has seen the zone increase in sales by +77% as consumers opt for the great tasting Happy Pear retail products.

We are thrilled with the response and see this zone increasing in popularity and interest as we introduce new Happy Pear products and other delicious branded plant-based foods into the zone.

SL: The zone also features a tailor-made refill unit; why was it important for you to be the first retail chain to offer this service?

Niall Brougham: Currently, SuperValu Killester, Castlebar and Blackrock have launched this new self-serve range offering. It is a straightforward and engaging refill process, the customer has the option to refill granola, pasta, rice, lentils and couscous and simply weigh the bag and pay at the till.

With this latest innovation, SuperValu customers have multiple opportunities to reduce their impact on the environment - both from a packaging and food waste point of view.

Here in SuperValu Blackrock we are hugely excited about this experience and hope to see it replicated across the SuperValu estate in the near future. ■