Introduce yourself

Hi, my name is John, and together with my father Pat we run Kilbeggan Organic Foods. We grow organic oats on our farm in Westmeath and have done so since starting our conversion journey in 1999. After farming organically for about a decade we decided to launch our first product, our Kilbeggan Organic Porridge Oats. This was followed two years later with our Kilbeggan Handmade Oat Cookies.

What inspired you to join the natural health sector?

Health and organics go hand in hand. At the core of organic principles are the health of the soil and the environment. We believe that a healthy soil grows food that nourishes and protects. Having farmed conventionally for years before converting to organic we have seen the intensive use of chemicals in modern agriculture and felt that there had to be a better way to grow our food. After farming organically for a period and seeing the results we knew we could grow oats packed with goodness.

Where did you get the idea for your brand?

Our brand was inspired by the gates at the entrance to our farm and the rich history of our local town ‘Kilbeggan’ in the production of cereals used historically for Kilbeggan whiskey. We wanted a brand that had name recognition and signified the entrance to our farm where all our crops are grown.

What makes your brand unique?

We are a single origin porridge product, so we grow all the oats that our customers eat. This allows us to stand over the quality of our product as we know that every plant was grown in soil that has been nourished and cared for over many years. The larger porridge brands buy their oats in the open market. Which result in them buying some good and some bad quality oats which are then blended. Our porridge oats are different because we don’t buy from anyone else.

What are your company’s core values?

We believe in quality, even if it means that our products take longer to grow and are therefore more expensive to grow. We believe in clean healthy products that are grown in harmony with nature and not at the expense of the environment.

How do you support your community?

We have had a partnership with ‘Temple Street Children’s Hospital Foundation’ which became the ‘Children’s Health Foundation’ for many years. We donate a proportion of our turnover every year to the foundation. This money is used to support families of sick children who are patients in Temple Street, Crumlin, Tallaght and Connolly.

What has been the most rewarding part of your brands journey?

The most rewarding part of the journey had been returning to farming full time after working off farm for years. My father Pat kept the business and farm running on his own for a number of years while I was working overseas. The brand gave me the opportunity of a future that could support a family by allowing us to add value to what we grow on our farm. Returning home and seeing our brand on the shelves of some of the finest Irish stores was a milestone.

What in your opinion makes Irish brands unique?

It's undoubtedly the quality the raw materials we have available to us in Ireland. Ireland produces some of the finest raw materials available anywhere in the world. This in return allows us to produce some of the highest quality products in the world

What is your favourite product from your brand?

My favourite product that I have an emotional connection to is definitely our 1kg regular oats, as this is our flagship product and really the engine of our brand. But if I'm feeling like treating myself it’s our handmade oat cookies, the orange choc chip are my go to treat.

Tell us about something that has shaped your brand?

My father really has shaped the brand with his care for the soil and his love of farming and dedication to uncompromising quality. This paired with his love of organic farming is really central to what our brand is all about, quality and care for the environment

What do you hope to accomplish in the future?

We don’t want to take over the world with our business. Organic farming is all about living within your means and not pushing your resources to the point of exhaustion. We would like to see Kilbeggan Organic Foods grow whilst remaining true to our values. We would love to see just how far we can go with our farm whilst respecting the soil and nature and its limits.