Inclusivity at Tirlán
Pictured at Tirlán CountryLife Dungarvan branch are from left Olivia Treacy Supplier and Customer Engagement Manager Tirlán; Senan Foley, Head of Retail Tirlán; Mary Butler TD, Minister of State at the Department of Health; and Bruce McDevitt, Age Friendly Regional Manager
Inclusivity at Tirlán
Tirlán has embarked on a programme to ensure people of all ages get the best possible experience across its stores
Tirlán has officially begun its Age Friendly Ireland Certification journey, to be implemented over the coming months across Tirlán’s 52 store branch network. The certification will focus on the inclusion of the older customer and addressing their needs to ensure a good customer experience when visiting any of the Tirlán Countrylife or Tirlán Farmlife stores.
The Age Friendly Business Recognition Programme has helped businesses all over Ireland obtain their Age Friendly Charters. As part of the certification process, an Age Friendly Champion will be appointed from the team in each store with a customer survey circulated to help decide on the changes needed to create the best possible age-friendly experience for its customers.
Tirlán Chairperson, John Murphy said: “Tirlán is committed to obtaining Age Friendly Certification and recognition across our branch network. This is part of our Living Proof sustainability strategy and an example of Tirlán’s on-going dedication to the well-being and engagement of older adults within our branch network. It also demonstrates our Co-op values for all our customers including older adults. Tirlán wants to ensure all people have a great customer experience every time they visit one of our stores, regardless of their age.”
Bruce McDevitt, Regional Manager for Age Friendly Ireland said: “We are delighted to partner with Tirlán on this journey. Age Friendly Ireland supports businesses across Ireland to focus on aspects of the business to ensuring older adults have a good experience when visiting the business or store.”
Minister Mary Butler TD said: “This proactive step by Tirlán, supported by Age Friendly Ireland, is important to ensure we have a more inclusive and receptive society, meeting the needs of an aging population to improve the quality of life as they age.”
News n’ Views
News n’ Views
Don’t miss Jim Bergin’s last message in the latest edition of Tirlán Farm Focus
Check out our June edition of Tirlán Farm Focus. This edition includes Jim Bergin’s final Farm Focus message as well as news, views and technical farm advice from across the organisation.
International stage for Tirlán
International stage for Tirlán
Promiko was the star ingredient at the Vitafoods Europe tradeshow
Tirlán attended Vitafoods Europe tradeshow for the second year in a row at Palexpo Geneva. Our key focus was our Promiko whey protein isolate (WPI) brand, along with our functional dairy proteins and plant-based solutions. The team had a busy three days, meeting both new and existing customers.
Gwen Gould, Senior Marketing Manager, was Tirlán’s conference speaker and delivered a presentation on “Going the Distance, how protein has stayed relevant by growing and expanding beyond pure performance nutrition” to over 40 company representatives.
The show had over 22,000 industry professionals and 1,200 global suppliers in attendance, so it was a great opportunity for us to showcase all that Tirlán has to offer.
From Backyards to Garden Festivals
From Backyards to Garden Festivals
Tirlán CountryLife decided to sponsor the Postcard Gardens at the Bloom Garden Festival over six months ago, and that was the beginning of a truly exciting journey for the brand
By sponsoring the Postcard Gardens, we aimed to highlight the passion and creativity of amateur gardeners, sharing their stories and inspiring communities to embrace gardening. This initiative perfectly aligns with Tirlán CountryLife’s commitment to nurturing gardens, from backyards to garden festivals, and promoting green spaces in local communities.
Our primary goal was to boost brand awareness and engage with our community, and we achieved this through a series of thoughtfully curated activities.
- Tirlán CountryLife Giant Garden Chair: Rest spot and photo opportunity
- Spin to Win activity: Engaged attendees with exciting prizes
- Flower wall planting: Children’s involvement, rehomed to Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice
- Spin to Win activity at the festival and at Heuston Station: engaged attendees with exciting prizes, bringing instant joy
- Hosting Community Gardens Panel Discussion: Featured expert horticulturist Alma Hayden from Tirlán CountryLife, Athboy
- Nationwide competition: Chance to win a €2000 community garden, inspiring garden projects.
Fiona Byrne, CountryLife Brand Manager, highlights her gratitude for being able to bring a campaign like this to life. “It couldn’t have happened without our amazing team”. A huge shout out to our phenomenal Tirlán CountryLife and wider Tirlán team for their dedication and support over the past six months.
Special thanks to Jess Kelly and Ava Whelan, who went above and beyond to bring this campaign to its full potential. To our digital team, including Mark Dillon, Jane Maher and Melanie Mynhardt, and to our retail team and horticulturists who supported the entire initiative. Lastly, to Senan Foley, Rob O’Keeffe and Grace O’Dwyer for your continuous support throughout.
For more information on the Postcard Garden entrants see: Postcard Gardens – Bloom | Ireland’s Largest Garden Festival | June Bank Holiday (bordbiabloom.com)
Kilmeaden Grated fills a gap
Kilmeaden Grated fills a gap
New Kilmeaden Grated Mature Red Cheddar & Mozzarella hits the market
We are happy to introduce Kilmeaden Grated Mature Red Cheddar and Mozzarella, available in retail stores nationwide from July.
This new product is a mix of Kilmeaden’s quality mature red cheddar and a smooth mozzarella – ideal for pizzas, pasta bakes and toasties.
Grated blends are popular in the grated segment in retail, so Kilmeaden decided to join this market. The aim of the new Kilmeaden product is to fill gaps in our range and let consumers improve their meals and snacks with a quality grated blend of cheese.
The launch will have point of sale at fixture, instore promotions, sampling and social media activity. Congratulations to Maria Kennedy and Hao Ouyang, who were heavily involved in the product development perspective.
Get it in store, spread the word and enjoy!
Postcard Gardens in Bloom
Postcard Gardens in Bloom
Win tickets to this year’s Bloom and experience Postcard Gardens, sponsored by Tirlán Countrylife
We are delighted to announce that Tirlán CountryLife is the official feature sponsor of the Bloom Postcard Gardens this year. This much-loved amateur showcase is one of many gardening features at the popular June bank holiday weekend event. Bord Bia Bloom will return to its home in the Phoenix Park, Dublin for five days from May 30th-June 3rd.
As the first sponsor of the Postcard Gardens feature, we are incredibly proud to embark on this exciting adventure.
Speaking about the Bloom Postcard Gardens sponsorship, Fiona Byrne, CountryLife Brand Manager said: “As we gear up for Bloom Garden Festival, our team is focused on crafting a memorable experience for all, from curating plants for our very own Tirlán CountryLife Postcard Garden to coordinating main stage features sharing key information on community gardening.”
“Additionally, we will be inviting attending kids to plant a flower on our display flower wall and a chance for attendees to spin the wheel to win hundreds of prizes daily and a chance to win our overall prize of a community garden worth €2500.”
Fiona added: “Our communication plan covers all bases, from influencer collaborations to radio ads and a nationwide competition with Today FM, offering exciting prizes for participants. Plus, our targeted outdoor poster campaign ensures maximum exposure across our store network. During the event, our social media team will create viral content through attendee engagement to maximise our reach. Stay tuned for more updates!”
Senan Foley, Head of Retail at Tirlán, said: “Community is at the heart of what we do at Tirlán CountryLife. We are delighted to take our long-running relationship with Bord Bia to the next level with this sponsorship. With a network of 15 garden centres, all of which operate in local communities throughout the south, east and midlands of Ireland, and a huge amount of horticultural expertise, we will work with Bord Bia Bloom to spread the magic of the Postcard Gardens to an even wider audience.”
POSTCARD GARDENS
The Postcard Gardens at Bloom consist of small but perfectly formed 2m x 3m plots. They are petite garden spaces that provide community groups, schools, charitable organisations and garden clubs the chance to tell their stories and showcase creative talents through innovative and vibrant garden design.
WIN TICKETS TO BLOOM GARDEN FESTIVAL
To be in with the chance of winning two tickets to this year’s Bloom Garden Festival, keep an eye out on Viva Engage in the coming days!
For more information visit Tirlán CountryLife Proudly Championing Bloom Postcard Gardens – CountryLife Blog
ELT Roadshow Round-up
ELT Roadshow Round-up
Our successful ELT Roadshow gave employees a chance to connect with one another
Our Executive Leadership Team (ELT) recently met with international and Irish teams, both virtually and in-person throughout the Tirlán network. The annual ELT Roadshow serves as a platform for the ELT to deliver business updates, acknowledge teams and engage in discussions on matters of global and local significance.
The Roadshow provided a valuable opportunity for our employees to connect with one another and receive direct insights from our Leadership team. Play this short photo reel for a selection of photos from across all ELT Roadshow 2024 locations.
As we strive to continuously improve, aligned with our value of “Adapt to Grow,” we invite your feedback on the ELT Roadshow to help shape future events.
The success of the annual Roadshow is made possible by the Engagement Network, a dedicated group of individuals across the organisation who contribute to the seamless execution of the roadshow at each site. Our sincere thanks to each of you for your support, as well as to all our Site Managers for their efforts in facilitating these events.
New charity partnership with Aware
We were delighted to use this opportunity to share with you the details of our new charity partnership with Aware as part of our commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility.
Aware is a registered charity which provides free support, education and information services to those impacted by anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and other mental health related conditions. In 2023, Aware directly supported up to 40,000 people via its support and education services.
The subject of mental ill-health will resonate with many of us on a personal level. We hope that through both corporate donations and employee fundraising, we can make a real difference. Last year alone, we raised €116,000 for worthy causes and created a positive impact in communities across the south-east, midlands and north-east.
Please watch this short video for more information about our charity partnership with Aware.
Taking Action Together
Taking Action Together
Tirlán’s River Slaney Project aims to stabilise and improve water quality along the river
Mid-April we launched our ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’, a collaborative initiative designed to enhance water quality across the Slaney River catchment area in counties Wexford, Carlow and Wicklow.
Tirlán has taken the lead to establish a new multi-agency collaborative project to help stabilise and improve water quality along the River Slaney which runs through the heartland of the south-east of the country, highlighting our spotlight value ‘Empower and Go’ in its true colours.
The project is designed to bring together key agencies to help improve water quality at local, catchment and national levels. This is essential in order to make the best possible case to retain Ireland’s Nitrates Derogation from 2026 which is key to protecting the financial viability of Irish dairy farming.
Speaking at the launch, Minister McConalogue called for a collective effort to make real improvements to water quality in key regions to ensure Ireland and Irish farmers secure the Nitrates Derogation from 2026.
Click here for more on the ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’
And check out the video below
Commenting on the River Slaney Project launch, Lisa Koep, Chief ESG Officer at Tirlán said: “We need to accelerate action and we intend to take best practice learnings from our Slaney programme and share them across our entire supplier base and to drive good water quality practice.
“We look forward to working with our farmer suppliers and partners in the region and to working together to enhance water quality and protect farm family incomes for generations to come.”
Chewing the cud with…
Chewing the cud with…
Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee and for our May newsletter, we’re talking to Matthew Moylan, Sustainability Advisor
Matthew Moylan, Sustainability Advisor, celebrates six years with Tirlán in June and is revelling in his busy role as part of the new Farm Support Service, working hand in hand with suppliers in the Slaney catchment.
He’s one of a dedicated team working with Tirlán suppliers across Wicklow, Carlow and Wexford to help reduce nitrogen losses in what the Environmental Protection Agency’s water testing programme has identified as “a catchment of concern”.
The Agricultural Science graduate at Waterford Institute of Technology started out in the powder plant in Belview and transferred over to the sustainability team two and a half years ago.
“I absolutely love it. We’ve a lot of work to do on the ‘Farming for Water: River Slaney Project’. But the engagement from suppliers has been great and there is real momentum behind the programme. I worked with Teagasc and for Farm Relief Services when I graduated and then took six months out and travelled to Australia and New Zealand.
“I worked in Belview for three and a half years and when a role came up in sustainability, I jumped at the opportunity. There’s no typical day in this role. Now that the weather is finally improving, we’re hoping to get out more onto farm and work with our suppliers and help them to farm in a more sustainable manner.
“We were delayed a bit getting onto farm because of the bad weather. But we’re out more now and the level of engagement is fantastic. Our suppliers have always been engaged and are very open to taking advice. We’ve a very high engagement rate of 98% on the ASSAP programme.
“Our focus for the next two years will very much be on the Slaney and improving water quality there. It’s crucial if we’re going to retain the Nitrates Derogation. We’ll be looking at their farm infrastructure, their nutrient management plan, improving their milk solids and help them become more economically and environmentally sustainable. They can go hand in hand.”
Matthew lives on the family farm in Dunamaggin so even after a long day, he’s ready, willing and able to help with milking or any other jobs around the farm. And to relax, he’s a keen follower of Leinster rugby and also Kilkenny hurling.
“I don’t play sports anymore unfortunately. I played a bit of hurling and football in my day. It’s important to keep up to date with all of the changing legislation and regulation in this job, so I’ve also signed up to the Sustainable Farming Academy and am studying at UCC.
“Every day is a learning day and there’s always something new you can learn. Lots has changed since I studied at WIT. It’s great to pick up new pointers, learn new things and I can do the assignments at quieter times of the year on the job.
“It’s also great to be mixing with suppliers on the course. You hear things from the other undergraduates and it makes you better at your job. It’s fun as well as learning and I’m delighted I signed up.”
Matthew says he loves the variety in his role and the genuine engagement from farmers. “We’ve a lot to achieve in the next 18 months in the Slaney. There is serious work to be done. But when you arrive on farm and you are greeted by a supplier who is hungry for knowledge, ready and willing to engage, it’s refreshing and rewarding. I’d be very hopeful that we will achieve our goals there.”
Sustainable farming know-how
Sustainable farming know-how
Tirlán and Baileys are celebrating 50 years in partnership.
Tirlán and its dairy ingredients customer Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur are celebrating 50 years in partnership by opening applications for their third successive Sustainable Farming Academy.
Now in its third year, the course offers 20 fully-funded places on the Level 7 Diploma in Sustainability, Environment & Climate delivered by UCC.
The programme is an educational initiative delivered through University College Cork to support Irish farming communities in addressing environmental challenges by giving them the knowledge, skills and know-how to farm more sustainably.
Please let our farm family suppliers know that applications are open until Friday, 28th June. Any supplier interested in applying will need to submit an expression of interest via the UCC portal before this date.
For more information
For more information visit: Sustainable Farming Academy – Diploma Overview | Tirlán CountryLife
Thanks to Brindley, Caroline Moylan, Matthew and colleagues for the great team work and living our ‘Collaborate for Success’ value.