Some 95 per cent of apples eaten in Ireland were grown elsewhere. Today there are only 35 full-time commercial apple growers in Ireland, down from 50 in 2017. And 40 per cent of all the apples grown here are Bramley cooking apples. (link to Irish Times article https://www.irishtimes.com/food/2025/09/06/the-secret-world-of-irish-apples-why-are-they-so-juicy-and-why-do-we-import-most-of-those-we-buy).
There were over 400 Irish commercial veg growers in the 90s, today that number is just 60, and we are one of those. We have just had the first delivery of Organic Irish Elstar apples from Richard Galvin in Waterford, and I have to say they are some of the finest apples we have ever received, they are amazing, well-done Richard.
We are serious about supporting Irish suppliers, as you may know we grow loads of our own organic veg, but we also support a wide range of other Irish organic growers. We I believe have the distinct advantage of being both a grower and a retailer, we get to see both sides of the field (no pun intended, oh dear..) so to speak. In fact, it can seem quite weird some days sitting in a meeting with our main fresh buyer Anna and our farm manager Emmanuel, and discovering that nobody will end up happy, not enough for the farm and not enough to run the retail business, and not enough to compete with the crazy discounted prices of supermarkets.
But the key difference between us and the general run of the mill supermarkets is that we actually do what we say. So instead of putting smiling Irish farmers all over their lovely supermarket walls maybe they should back that up by actually properly supporting Irish producers and paying fair prices and buying more Irish produce when it is available at a fair price.
We will always buy Irish first and foremost, always, and we always do. To be honest even when it is more of a pain than a gain and that sometimes too can have an impact on perceived value, because it is always, always more expensive to buy. One thing I know for sure is this, we have tonnes and tonnes of Irish organic produce right now, quite literally and we certainly have Irish apples and not only from one Irish organic farmer but two. I could list out all the other Irish farmers that we partner with or buy from, but that might be boring, but do you know what? I think I will anyway, because it annoys and upsets me that we work so hard, and supermarkets get to do whatever they want and present this idea of being the biggest Irish supporters when it just is not true, and they get away with it because they have all the power, (I think we have seen enough of what people with power do in the world today and how much havoc that can wreck on our people and planet, you know who I am talking about here)
So here goes in no particular order: (So these growers are not only Irish, but also all organic too) in total 18 Irish organic farmers.
Joe Kelly, Mayo – cucumbers, yellow courgettes, radishes, lettuce, coriander, parsley, French beans
Philip Dreaper, Offaly – carrots, beetroot
Cameron – Battlemount organic farm, Kildare, potatoes and apples juice.
Richard Galvin, Waterford – apples, apple juice, apple cider vinegar
Audrey and Mick, Galway – parsley, chard, salad mix, rocket, spinach
Padraigh and Una, Beechlawn, Galway – fennel, spinach, onions, cabbages, celery, leeks, beetroot, scallions.
Darragh Donnelly, Dublin – cherries, apples
Banner Berries, Clare – blueberries
Culinary Microherbs, Dublin – MicrogreensGarryhinch, Offaly – exotic mushrooms
McArdle, Antrim – chestnut, portobello mushrooms
Roy Little – leeks
Alison, Slieve Bloom organics, scallions, radish.
Oranmore Farm, Raman – occasionally, French beans, salad mix
Sloe hill Farm – occasionally, herbs (basil, parsley)
Paul Brophy, Kildare, Broccoli
Emmett Dunne, Carrots
Green Earth Organics farm, Kale, broccoli, bunched carrots, parsnips, swede, leeks, spinach, lettuce, salad, onions, celeriac, celery, beetroot, courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes and more.
So, you see, your support makes a very real difference to us, to Richard (our apple grower) to Emmanuel (our farm manager), to the planet and to all the other farmers that depend on your orders to keep the produce rolling in off organic Irish fields.
As always thank you for continuing to support us.
Kenneth.