Bizstartup.ie - ENTREPRENEURS

Michael McAuliffe

Truly Irish Country Foods

Establishing a presence in most of the major supermarkets around Ireland is no easy task, but it’s what Truly Irish Country Foods has managed to do in the past year.

The company's products have been on sale in SuperValu, Superquinn and Centra for a number of months now, but it has also recently signed a supplier agreement with Dunnes Stores to provide its locally produced rashers and sausages in its stores around Ireland.

Launching a new pudding in 2010

Profiled in the Emerging New Business category at the SFA National Small Business Awards on 4 March, Truly Irish Country Foods is now set to launch a full-Irish black and white pudding in the coming months.

The company was in operation for three years under the guise of North South Pig Company.

In 2009 it decided to rebrand to Truly Irish Country Foods in order gain a better share of the retail margin for Irish pig farmers.

Idea behind the brand

Michael McAuliffe, CEO, Truly Irish Country Foods, says the idea of the brand was in response to Irish consumers’ concerns about origin, labelling and quality of meat products. “Our brand is 100pc produced in Ireland,” he says.

The company comprises 140 shareholders, representing 70pc of pork producers in Ireland. All of the shareholders raised €1.8m to invest in the company, and it also received initial grant money.

In the past year, the company has embarked on an intensive marketing campaign across all types of media. It has been a success, says McAuliffe.

The brand has been kept generic, and McAuliffe anticipates including dairy or beef products in the future. The company’s next step is to extend into Northern Ireland and the UK.