Top Honours for Avonmore
Top honours for Avonmore
Avonmore has been awarded the most chosen dairy brand of the decade accolade
Last month, Eithne O’Hara and Steven Nicholls from the Consumer Growth team accepted Kantar’s prestigious award for ‘Ireland’s most chosen dairy brand of the decade’ at a special event held in Croke Park.
Kantar is the world’s leading data analytics and brand consulting company, which this year celebrated 10 years of its ‘Brand Footprint’ study of consumer choices in Ireland. The Brand Footprint ranking reveals how consumers today buy FMCG (Fast Moving Commercial Goods) brands, as well as highlighting the opportunities for brands to increase their footprint.
Eithne and Steven proudly hold the award for ‘Ireland’s most chosen dairy brand of the decade’
Kantar’s unique ‘Consumer Reach Points’ metric is based on the underlying drivers of sales – how many people buy and how often – which provides a true measure of brand strength.
Speaking to Overherd at Tirlán about the award win, Eithne said: “As Ireland’s leading dairy company, we were honoured to accept this award, which is testament to the continuous hard work and dedication of many people across our many production and office sites over the past 10 years. Avonmore is a much loved and highly respected Irish brand which has gone from strength to strength over the last decade due to the passion of our many cross functional teams.”
GF Integrity Guaranteed
GF Integrity Guaranteed
Tirlán’s ‘Closed Loop’ Oatsecure system delivers on gluten-free promise
Tirlán FarmLife plans to extend the amount of gluten-free oats sown over the coming year across Kildare, Laois, Carlow and into Kilkenny, South Tipperary, Meath and Dublin by as much as 1,000 acres to meet growing demand for the premium crop.
The ‘closed loop’ OatSecure™ system means gluten free integrity is achieved across every stage in our unique 14-step process. OatSecure™ encompasses the complete A-Z process, from seed assembly, land and grower selection, to sowing, crop monitoring, harvesting, drying, storage and milling.
The protocol was developed in conjunction with our selected supplier farmers who work to a strict code of practice. Tirlán agronomists select the fields where the oat crop is grown. Only the purest oat seeds are grown and all seed used is traceable.
Drills are inspected before sowing to avoid contamination. All fields are mapped and rigorously inspected throughout the growing season. Harvesting is completed using dedicated Tirlán-leased combine harvesters and transporting equipment to ensure there are no contamination risks. Sampling and testing at our grain intake is a verification of the agronomy inspections from seed selection right through to final harvest.
Donal Moloney, Tirlán FarmLife’s Grain Manager
Donal Moloney, Tirlán FarmLife’s Grain Manager, paid tribute to the company’s sales development teams, agronomists and more for their work to ensure extremely strict specifications required to deliver food-grade gluten-free produce are met.
“All harvesting and transport, potentially worth an additional €30/t on top of the premium price, is carried out by Tirlán FarmLife using dedicated gluten-free machinery. The economic returns compare very favourably. Oat crops also carry lower production costs, particularly fertiliser requirements, which would be a key consideration for 2023,” he explained.
The Tirlán Plant Hub team has been very successful in growing the food grade oat business and they’ve secured long-term contracts with international food and beverage manufacturers.
The closed loop supply chain for gluten free food grade oats is a real USP for customers. As of Harvest 2022, Tirlán’s Gluten Free Oats have a gluten guarantee of <5ppm compared to the industry standard of <20ppm. This gives customers the added assurance they desire.
There is huge potential for gluten free food grade oats, particularly in the cereals, snacks and plant-based food and beverage categories. The Tirlán Plant Hub has a strong pipeline of customers in these categories and the additional acres will go towards meeting the growing demand for this premium crop.
Showcasing Excellence at Tirlán
Showcasing Excellence at Tirlán
With 140 entries, the GPS Excellence Showcase has caught the imagination of teams across Tirlán
Celebrating the efforts of individuals and teams involved in Continuous Improvement (CI) projects, this year’s inaugural showcase competition brings to life the great continuous improvement/operational excellence work being done across our organisation.
From the 140 entries, the shortlisting panel had the difficult task of selecting three projects under each of the award categories – COVI, RCA/Problem Solving, Continuous Improvement/Process Improvement (Lean Tools), Sustainability, Customer Impact, Data Driven Decision or Innovation (MES) and Quick Win.
Will O’Carroll, Business Excellence Manager
Business Excellence Manager Will O’Carroll told Overherd that he and the shortlisting panel were delighted with the “amazing reaction” from colleagues across Tirlán. “We’ve been hugely impressed with the strength of the projects submitted – they demonstrate clarity of purpose, strong methodology, great teamwork and amazing impacts. All of these projects will be celebrated at our Excellence Showcase event but we had to make our shortlist, which I’m sure you can imagine was a difficult task. After much deliberation, we decided on our 21 finalists who will present their projects at the Showcase Event in Abbey Quarter on 1st December to be in with a chance of winning one of three €1500 vouchers for their team. Congratulations to all of you.”
Chewing the cud with… Eoin Maher
Chewing the cud with… Eoin Maher
Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee and for our November newsletter, we’re talking to Eoin Maher
Senior Finance Business Partner, Eoin Maher, returned to work in Kilkenny recently, having completed 114km of the Camino with six others to raise funds for the Cois Nore cancer support charity in Kilkenny.
The Tipperary native, who moved to Kilkenny from abroad in 1999 to take up a financial role with our company, said the charity provided invaluable support to him and his three children when his late wife, Sinead, got her diagnosis and passed away soon after three years ago.
“I’m very glad to have done the Camino. I always wanted to do it. I saw that the Irish Hospice Foundation was doing it and signed up. Shortly after, I saw Cois Nore doing the same and decided to do it with and for a local cause.
“Cois Nore were there for us and they are there for so many families at a time when your entire world is turned upside down. I’m in particular awe of the work they do to support children touched by cancer.
“The walk was a great opportunity to support the local cause and to give something back, while also raising awareness of their work. We covered 114km over five days. I play a lot of tennis so that stood to me. The one thing I was worried about was blisters and thankfully I avoided them due to the use of plenty of Vaseline and wearing the right socks!
“Funds have been pouring in from work colleagues and the wider community and the fundraising page will stay live until November 14th if anyone still wants to contribute. I am very close to achieving my €10,000 target and I am so thankful to everyone for their generosity and support.”
Eoin’s new base is Abbey Quarter, a short distance from his home on the Freshford Road. His current role primarily involves providing financial appraisal and strategic investment support to the company. Key projects he’s worked on include Abbey Quarter, the JV in Belview with Royal A-ware and the original Belview project. He has also recently volunteered to be an ambassador for the launch of the new myCareer and myLearning phase of the new Success Factors HR system.
“It has been a busy role in recent years, particularly with the milk pool expansion and the investment required to support that. Much of the work involves providing financial support to commercial teams in the construction of business cases for potential new investments.”
He’s enjoying the return to hybrid working, particularly the new Abbey Quarter base. Previous to that, he worked in Ballyragget for 20 years before moving to Danville for a short period of time.
“There is very much a sense of excitement and new beginnings in the company. This has been accelerated by the opening of Abbey Quarter, our new structure and identity, new name, new purpose, vision and values. It all augurs very well for the future,” he said.
To donate, visit https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/CoisNore-EoinMaher-
Success in Bangladesh
Success in Bangladesh!
Affordable nutrition has a sweet tooth in Bangladesh!
Members of Tirlán’s Affordable Nutrition team travelled to a very important market in Bangladesh recently to visit both existing and prospective customers in Chittagong and Dhaka and to experience first-hand how our Fat Filled Milk Powders products are being consumed.
Senior Product Manager Powders, Anil Babu Yarlagadda from Ireland, Nitin Agarwal (Regional Sales Manager, ME & Indian SC) and Vipin Kumar (Sales Manager ME & Indian SC) from Tirlán’s Dubai Office travelled to Bangladesh, spending one week in the region to explore opportunities in this rapidly growing Fat Filled Milk Powders market.
Overherd at Tirlán caught up with Anil on his return to find out more about the team’s very interesting trip and how Tirlán is providing nutritional products to suit local tastes!
Anil and Nitin on their way to meet a customer in Dhaka using sustainable local transport
“We had a very interesting and worthwhile trip, especially meeting customers and also interacting with consumers in Bangladesh,” Anil told us. “The market size is about 20,000 tonnes growing at 5-6% annually. Arla product (Dano Pushti) dominates the market, with approximately 15,000 tonnes.”
Anil said: “We sell our Millac Premium products to importers in the market. The milk powder arrives in 25kg bags and they then re-pack the product into small or medium retail sachet packs which are distributed across the country and consumed mainly in tea, although some people do add the powder to water to make drinking milk.”
“During our time in Bangladesh, we visited hugely popular tea stands in local markets to get an insight into how end-consumers are using our products and it’s quite clear that Bangladeshis like their tea sweet, with most adding sugar to a product we’ve already sweetened to suit local tastes! Previous market research had told us that consumers do not like milk powder flecks visible when the powder is added to tea. We acted on this feedback, improving the product with the help of a €350,000 investment in Belview which will make our product perfect for their application!”
Tirlán colleagues meet with customers at their factory outside Dhaka
“As you can see from the photos we had an enjoyable trip but it was also successful from a business perspective, with a new consignment on the way to our importer along with new trial samples that are being produced currently. We also met a new prospective customer in Chittagong and trial samples will be shipped to them very soon.”
Speaking about the importance of the Bangladeshi market to Tirlán’s Affordable Nutrition business, Anil told Overherd that “this is one of the key markets for us from a growth and strategy perspective. The population is huge (166 million) and the market for Fat Filled Milk Powder is growing significantly year on year. Our products are still evolving and I’m confident that when we’ve perfected them, the volumes will follow!”
Full Cream Milk Powder brand advert at Dhaka Airport
Trick or Treat!
Trick or Treat!
Find out who the winners are in our spooky Halloween competition… if you dare!
Over Halloween, Tirlán colleagues were given the chance to win one of three Smyths Toys vouchers worth €50 each. The response to the competition was phenomenal, with a scary amount of creativity on show in each of our three categories…
It was incredibly tough to pick just three winners from all the entries and big thanks goes to everyone who got in the Halloween spirit and shared their pictures. Congratulations to our winning entries…
The best costume award goes to R&D team member Andie Garcia Perez, her husband Kai and son Mikko.
Here’s a selection of all the costume pictures sent through.
The best pumpkin carving award goes to Jackie Laffan from our Ingredients team in Citywest for her Tirlán inspired entry.
Here’s a selection of all the pumpkin pictures sent through.
The best kid’s artwork award goes to Freya Whelan, aged 7, whose dad Colum works at Tirlán’s Portlaoise Depot.
Here’s a selection of all the scary artwork sent through.
Think Pink!
Think Pink!
This year’s Great Pink Run raised over €575,000
Over 8000 people took part in the 2022 Great Pink Run recently in Dublin, Kilkenny and virtually across the world, with 220 Glanbia and Tirlán colleagues taking on the 5- or 10-kilometre walking / running challenge and contributing to the over €575,000 raised for breast cancer research.
Since the run’s inception in 2011, over 78,000 people from 36 countries have participated, helping in the fight against breast cancer by funding pioneering research into metastatic breast cancer and raising awareness of the disease through important educational programmes.
Did you take part in the Great Pink Run this year, either on location or virtually? If so, you might find yourself featured in our video below!
Stay Healthy This Winter
Stay healthy this winter
Tirlán’s Senior Nutrition Manager, Lorraine Moran, on why healthy eating offers good protection during the chilly season
Luckily, working for Tirlán, we have a wealth of knowledge in our business which can help us all learn how to eat healthily this winter. For some top tips and advice, Overherd at Tirlán caught up with Lorraine Moran, a Registered Dietitian and Tirlán’s Senior Nutrition Manager based at our Innovation Centre in Ballyragget.
Lorraine Moran, Senior Nutrition Manager, Tirlán
“Winter is an important time of year to keep ourselves well-nourished, as the colder weather tends to bring cold and flu season. Eating a healthy diet might not prevent us from picking up these illnesses, but it can help maintain our immune system to better protect us and if we do get sick, a nutritious diet can help speed up our recovery. I’m delighted to share some top tips with colleagues on healthy eating this winter,” said Lorraine.
It’s time to swap salads for soups and stews!
Winter is the season for colds and flus, so trying to ensure we have a large range and amount of fruits and vegetables in our diet can help us get an adequate level of vitamins and minerals to help support our immune system. “While nothing can completely stop a cold in its tracks, a healthy immune system can help ward off the germs that cause colds and flu or decrease duration of illness,” says Dietitian Lorraine.
It is also important to remember that there are no single foods or specific diets that will ‘boost’ our immunity. The nutrients that keep our immune system working well include Vitamins A, B6, B12, C and D as well as copper, folate, iron, selenium and zinc. Instead, focus on getting these nutrients from a healthy, varied diet including fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, wholegrains, dairy products or fortified alternatives and meat, fish or plant proteins like pulses. Hot bowls of soups, stews and casseroles are ideal ways to include these foods during the cold winter months!
Keep up your Vitamin D
Though we can make Vitamin D from sunlight during the summer months, we do not make enough Vitamin D during the winter months. There are only a few foods that are sources of Vitamin D such as oily fish (e.g. salmon, sardines, mackerel), red meat and egg yolks. Choosing fortified foods such as Avonmore SuperMilk and fortified breakfasts are helpful to boost our Vitamin D on a daily basis. There is also the option to choose a Vitamin D supplement from a pharmacy. They are available as a tablet, including a chewable tablet and a tablet that dissolves in your mouth. There are different amounts of Vitamin D doses for different people during the winter months; e.g. children aged 1 – 4 years need 5 (μg) micrograms of Vitamin D daily and adults and children over 4 years old should take 10 (μg) micrograms of Vitamin D daily.
Be prepared
The cold weather can make getting out and about less appealing. However, there are still ways that you can look after your diet and your health. Planning weekly meals and making a grocery list can help us navigate the supermarket aisles with ease, serve as a guide to limiting impulse purchases and structures meals and eating habits. If healthy ingredients are in our homes, we are likely to use them than reach for unhealthy fast foods. It is also useful to keep a supply of non-perishable versatile foods to hand. For example, porridge oats, tins of tomatoes, dried or tinned beans and frozen vegetables are an affordable, healthy way to make meals more filling and nourishing.
Keep well hydrated
“Hydration in winter is equally as important as it is in the warmer months to help keep energy levels stable, prevent skin from drying out and support a healthy immune system. Thirst is a sign that we are already dehydrated,” Lorraine states.
The best way to stay hydrated is to drink water steadily throughout the day. Water and milk are recommended as healthy drinks, though it can be more challenging to drink cold water from the tap, especially on cold winter days. Warm herbal teas or hot water with a squeeze of lemon or orange might be more appealing. Some foods contain higher amounts of fluids than others. Increasing our intakes of fruit and vegetables such as cucumber, tomato, grapes and berries and choosing warm soups and broths also increase our fluid intake.
