It’s been a busy few weeks for Ingredients Team colleagues who have hosted a number of customers recently

Mars Wrigley impressed to see Tirlán’s approach to sustainability

The Mars Wrigley Procurement & Sustainability team visited Tirlán recently as part of a mission to understand how their suppliers are approaching sustainability around the globe.

The team from the Mars Wrigley US, UK and EU offices started the day at Shane Fitzgerald’s Future Farm in Portlaw and moved to Abbey Quarter afterwards for sustainability and commercial discussions. They then closed the day with an innovation session at the AQ Customer Experience Centre.

Tirlán Senior Key Accounts Manager (Ingredients) Orla Slye told Overherd that, “This was the first time Mars Wrigley’s Global Dairy Sourcing Director has visited Tirlán in Ireland. Mars have a strong sustainability agenda and are keen to understand what their suppliers are undertaking in this space around the globe. They were really impressed to see Tirlán’s approach to sustainability and confirmed to us that we are already way ahead of many other suppliers and regions they are working with.

“Mars are aware of the high production standards Tirlán work to but it was great to get Mars out on farm so they could see our farmers strive for the same on-farm production and sustainability standards. We were also able to take them through the great work our Plant-Based team have achieved with our Gluten Free Oat sales to Kind US which is part of the Mars family.

The Mars Wrigley Team visits Shane Fitzgerald’s ‘Future Farm’ in Portlaw, Couny Waterford

“We got the opportunity to take Mars through our Plant and Protein Powder applications for the first time in our Innovation Session which was held in the Customer Experience Centre. They were particularly complementary as to how we presented both our Dairy and Plant offerings side by side and said it was a first for them. Our plant-based chocolate received very high praise indeed and they even took left over samples with them when they left!

An innovation session was hosted by our Dairy Protein and Plant Based teams where the Mars Wrigley Team got to experience / sample our Dairy and Plant based beverages, ice-cream and chocolate

“The visit overall was very successful and Mars have committed to opening doors to explore other areas of their business as a result. This success is the result of exceptional cross-collaboration with various teams, from Agri, Sustainability and Marketing to Product, Commercial and R&D! There was a big group involved in making this a success and a special thanks to all of those who contributed – #collaborateforsuccess at its finest!”

Condetta GmbH & Co. KG team members visit Ireland for the first time

As part of the Storck group, one of the largest sweets producers globally with brands like Werther’s Original, Merci, Nimm2, Riesen and Dickmanns, Condetta GmbH & Co. KG team members took a whirlwind two-day tour of Tirlán’s sites at Abbey Quarter, the Innovation Centre in Ballyragget, Virginia and Gerard Cooke’s Farm in Co. Meath.

Four of the five guests had never been to Ireland before and all were impressed by the Tirlán spirit, commenting that “they could feel that we like what we do.”

Pictured are Virginia Team Members who hosted guests from Condetta GmbH & Co. KG

Condetta is among the top three buyers of our MPC’s (Milk Protein Concentrate) out of Virginia. They blend our MPC in compounds which dairies in Europe use for producing high protein consumer packaged goods such as pudding, yoghurt, mousses and ready-to-drink shakes.

Regional Sales Manager (Ingredients) Kathrin Pasold told Overherd that “We had great engagement and really intensified the customer relationship during their visit to Ireland.  As we’re in a changing market environment with large price corrections it’s the trust the counts a lot to keep sales running best possible.

“Looking towards future opportunities with this customer, they were highly impressed with oat solutions developed by the R&D team and there was also mutual agreement to work on solutions and new market concepts in the years to come.”

The Condetta GmbH & Co. KG Team visits Tirlán’s Innovation Centre in Ballyragget

Overall, there was fantastic cross-collaboration with all the colleagues involved, in front and behind the scenes to make this a memorable trip for the Condetta team.

Ewalco from Sweden focus on health and sustainability

Ewalco, part of the Humble group of companies, sent a team of four people which included their CEO to visit Tirlán late last month.

Starting in Portlaoise, Production & Process Manager Andrew Wilkinson took the team on a tour through the Oat Mill. Then it was off to the Innovation Centre in Ballyragget to provide technical training and tasting sessions on Tirlán’s oats portfolio as well as MPC (Milk Protein Concentrate) and WPI (Whey Protein Isolate). The next day, the team met in Abbey Quarter and were presented with market insights and had some further commercial discussions.

It was a great chance to present our full portfolio, Katherine Pasold explained to Overherd. “Ewalco is a private label manufacturer for sports and healthy nutrition and they currently purchase our MPC from Ballyragget. As they are part of a bigger group, hopefully this visit this will lead to further sales and we are also looking to expand sales of our oats portfolio with the company.”

Technical training and tasting sessions on Tirlán’s oats and proteins portfolio were hosted at the Innovation Centre