In 2024, Tirlán raised over €115,000 through various fundraising efforts to support a number of local charities

The funds were raised through the Tour de Tirlán cycling event and the Tirlán Mountain Challenge, along with a number of other voluntary organisations working in communities across the south-east, midlands and north-east.

Over 130 employees took part in the fundraising activities benefitting mental health support organisation Aware, Cois Nore Cancer Support Centre, South East Simon Community and addiction rehabilitation service, Aiséirí.

Presenting the charities with their cheques, Jim O’Neill, Chief Operating & Consumer Officer, who chairs the Tour de Tirlán committee, said it was wonderful to see the level of enthusiasm amongst colleagues in raising money to support such good causes.

“We’re proud to be here today, for the presentation of the money raised for Tour de Tirlán cycle 2024. I’m delighted to say that we have raised €75,000 and we have presented the cheques to Aiséirí, Cois Nore, South East Simon and our Corporate Charity Partner Aware. The cycle has now been running for 10 years and we have raised €486,000 to date. We’re deeply involved in the community in Tirlán, we have 4,500 farm families spread across the country and it’s really important to raise money and give back to our community.”

The €75,000 raised from Tour de Tirlán was split evenly between the four charities, receiving €18,750 each.

Mary Dolan, Manager of Cois Nore, expressed her gratitude, saying: “We’re delighted to receive this fundraising donation from Tirlán. We really appreciate the work that went into all the events throughout the year and we’ll use the money to support our move to new premises on the Waterford Road in Kilkenny. This will enable us to provide the clients that use our service with a much more spacious and comfortable environment to receive their treatments in.” Cois Nore provides psycho-social support services to people with cancer and their families who are living in the county of Kilkenny and the surrounding areas.

Noreen Condon, Development, Learning and Engagement Officer in Aiséirí, highlighted the impact on their services: “Aislinn, our centre for young people aged 15-21 years, based in Ballyragget, will benefit from these funds. Aislinn caters for teenagers in addiction and this funding is vital to support the service. We intend to develop a sensory room, where the teens can chill out, reflect and have time away from the world. The monies will also go towards the development of the sports hall and the development of a sound system, improving the overall environment.”

Julie Curran, Senior Corporate Fundraising Officer with South East Simon Community, noted the importance of the donation: “Homelessness is the social issue of our times. Based in Waterford, we support vulnerable men and women here in the South East to leave homelessness behind, to rebuild their lives and to become active participants again in their local communities. None of it would be possible without the generous support of our local business community. This significant donation is a reflection of the care and compassion that everyone who participated in the fundraiser has for people who are isolated and excluded. Thank you so much for believing in people.”

Tirlán’s Charity partner, Aware, received a further €40,000 from the Tirlán Mountain Challenge 2024.

Stephen Butterly, Head of Fundraising and Business Development at Aware, Tirlán’s charity partner, said that the mental health organisation continues to see high demand for its services, with the Aware Support Line receiving an average of 80 calls a day. Aware is also set to expand its offering in the coming year with the introduction of a new service for people experiencing depression. “The Tirlán events have raised significant funds for Aware, along with bringing attention to the important topic of mental health. We are very grateful to the Tirlán team and everyone who participated in the events or supported their colleagues’ efforts. The monies raised will contribute directly towards the support of the many people across Ireland affected by depression and help ensure that we can continue to be there for the people who need us most.”

James Brennan, Employee Communications Manager and member of both the Tour de Tirlán and Tirlán Mountain Challenge Committee, emphasised the community spirit of the events: “Events like Tour de Tirlán and the Tirlán Mountain Challenge are an opportunity for our employees to come together, to socialise, connect with each other and to give back to our charity partners. Since 2017, the Tirlán Mountain Challenge has raised over €270,000.”

Projects in our Excellence Showcase highlight Tirlán’s culture of operational excellence

Our third annual Excellence Showcase was held in the Abbey Quarter Collaborative Hub, featuring 24 finalist projects across eight award categories. Each project represents a commitment to continuous improvement and innovation within Tirlán.

Event Highlights

The event, hosted by the Operations and Supply Chain Excellence Team and the Irish Centre of Business Excellence, allowed finalists to present their projects and engage with attendees. Each project team had the opportunity to vote for all projects, using a voting card system to rank their top three choices. Additionally, a QR code was released during the event, enabling attendees to cast their votes for the People’s Choice Award.

People’s Choice Award

The People’s Choice Award went to the Cheese Right First Time project, led by Catriona Twomey, Aoife O’Rourke, Alan Fox, Patricia McGrath, Brian Mullally, Louise Lynch and Yvonne Owens.

Congratulating all the teams, CEO Seán Molloy said: “Our commitment to continuous improvement is resolute. All of our people contribute to it every day and bring about our culture of operational excellence. Congratulations to all the participants and winners.”

Thank you to everyone who participated and made this event a memorable celebration of innovation and teamwork. We look forward to seeing these projects implemented and the positive changes they will bring.

Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee. For our December newsletter, we’re talking to the Marketing Manager for our Out Of Home Value Added Milks, Stuart Scott

In this edition of “Chewing the Cud,” we are excited to feature Stuart Scott, a dedicated and passionate member of our team. Stuart’s journey with us has been marked by his commitment and significant contributions to the organisation.

Stuart is originally from Dublin but now lives in Kildare with his wife, Alma and their children, Charlie (12) and Amelia (9). He celebrated 20 years in Consumer Foods this year, having joined the business shortly after completing his degree in Marketing & Languages. Over the years, Stuart has held various roles, from Customer Service to Consumer Insights. He is now a key member of the Marketing team.

Stuart currently serves as the Marketing Manager for our Out Of Home Value Added Milks. In this role, he has launched exciting innovations in the Avonmore range including Mooju, Avonmore Protein Milk, Avonmore Oat Drink and Vitamins And More. Stuart enjoys the variety his role offers, working across different brands and marketing activities.

Stuart collaborates with a dynamic team including Barry Cassidy, Dan Belton and Zoe Keegan, to deliver exciting campaigns across digital and traditional ad formats.

Reflecting on his time with the organisation, Stuart said: “I’ve seen many changes over the past 20 years. Every business encounters challenging times that require agility and focus to overcome. But there are always learnings to take into new projects. The business continues to evolve and grow.”

From a consumer perspective, Stuart highlights the strength of the Avonmore brand, which continues to be one of Ireland’s most chosen brands. “Consumers place great trust in Avonmore to deliver quality products, and it remains highly visible in shops around the country. I’m  proud to be associated with such a respected brand.”

Stuart also shares his thoughts on the formation of Tirlán, describing it as “an exciting time for the organisation. Despite the changes, the constants are the great people and the strong culture. The values of the organisation are well communicated and embraced by the organisation.”

Balancing work and home life is important to Stuart. He appreciates the organisation’s openness to flexible ways of working and the respect for personal time. However, he humorously admits that he has been known to take photos of milk products while on holidays abroad, indicating that he might need to work on the balance a bit more.

Outside of work, Stuart is passionate about football. He spends a lot of time coaching his son’s team and attending League of Ireland matches. This hobby allows him to unwind and enjoy quality time with his family.

Tirlán CountryLife recently hosted the Farm Safety Roadshow partnering with FRS Co-Op, ICOS and our charity partner Aware

Tirlán CountryLife Monasterevin recently hosted the Farm Safety Roadshow, an event organised by FRS Co-Op and the Irish Co-Operative Organisation Society (ICOS). This initiative brought essential safety training directly to farming communities, demonstrating Tirlán’s commitment to supporting farmers, their families, and the broader agricultural sector.

The roadshow highlighted the importance of improving safety within one of Ireland’s most hazardous professions. Key topics included managing risks when working with livestock, machinery operation and safe driving practices on rural roads. Mental health was also a significant focus, with expert speakers addressing the need for accessible support for farmers and their families.

Practical advice was provided on maximising the benefits of TAMS (Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme) grants to enhance farm efficiency and safety, particularly in farm building improvements.

The event featured contributions from Tirlán’s official charity partners, Aware, who emphasised the critical role of mental health support in the farming community. They stressed the importance of events like the roadshow in fostering meaningful change and encouraging conversations about mental health within the sector.

Minister Martin Heydon, who attended the event, highlighted the progress made in mental health awareness within agriculture. He noted the increasing presence of mental health resources at agricultural shows and events, reflecting a positive shift in how the farming community addresses these challenges.

Tirlán CountryLife remains dedicated to empowering farming families with the knowledge and resources to work smarter and safer. The Farm Safety Roadshow was a testament to this commitment and the company looks forward to further opportunities to support the agricultural community in the future.

Tirlán is the only company to achieve Origin Green Gold for the fifth year in a row

Tirlán was delighted to be recognised as the only company to achieve Origin Green Gold Membership status for the fifth year in a row. The Origin Green Gold externally verified accreditation is strong recognition of Tirlán’s progress on its Living Proof sustainability programme and the Bord Bia standard is recognised at both a national and internal level by our customers.

We asked three Tirlán Origin Green stakeholders what this achievement means to them.

Sinead Treanor, ESG Programme & Governance Reporting Manager

Origin Green continues to equip Tirlán to meet the evolving sustainability needs and demands of global consumer markets. Along with our sustainability strategy, Living Proof, it supports our position as credible and ideal partners for sustainable produce and future investment. In setting and achieving measurable sustainability targets, it helps us to reduce our environmental impact and achieve a range of efficiencies in the daily running of our business.

As the only business in Ireland to achieve 5 gold status memberships in a row, verified data points audited by a third party builds trust with Tirlán customers and consumers. It also provides a platform to bring cross functional units together on a common purpose while also giving Special Matter Experts (SME’s) an understanding of ESG reporting and the importance of robust validated data.

This current evidence-based reporting structure supports Tirlán’s obligations under the Corporate Social Responsibility Directive (CSRD) reporting from 2026, where time bound targets and actions are an integral part of showing how Tirlán are continuing to build a sustainable food production system across our whole value chain.

In continuing to engage with the Origin Green team, it gives us access to new tools and sustainability reporting information, while also providing us with the opportunity to network across the food and drink industry through workshops and events.

Matthew Moylan, Farm Sustainability Development Advisor

Origin Green provides the Agri team with an opportunity to share and build on the progress of many of our sustainability initiatives, such as the work Tirlán are doing through FarmGen, Twenty20 Club, the ASSAP programme, and now the Slaney project.

Water quality continues to be a particular focus in Tirlán, as many of our farm families and their Co-op continue to implement key actions in support of the retention of the nitrates derogation. Building on the success of previous years, to date the Agricultural Sustainability Support and Advisory Programme (ASSAP) initiative has delivered over 650 water quality improvement plans for farmers in high priority catchment areas to assist in delivering best practice while simultaneously improving biodiversity.

Tirlán has also launched the River Slaney Project in collaboration with Teagasc and the Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO). This community-based water quality remediation project is designed to set a benchmark in best practices and support farm families in working to maintain and improve water quality on their farms.

Aoife Murphy, Chief Ingredients Officer

Bord Bia Origin Green Membership is an international mark of excellence. As a country, we are lucky to have such a comprehensive programme to showcase our sustainable food production system.

Sustainability is embedded and key to all aspects of the Tirlán business. We continue to work collaboratively with our farmers and our customers to deliver more innovative and sustainable dairy and grain ingredients which are crucial in feeding the growing global population and meeting the demand for protein.

Over the past few weeks, Tirlán has been recognised and rewarded at various events

Tirlán & Wexford GAA enhance Athletic Development for 5,000 students

Pictured at the launch of the new partnership in Gorey Community School were Jackie Tyrrell, Tirlán, John Murphy, Chairperson of Tirlán, Kian Steadmond, Gorey Community School, Vincent Higgins, Creagh College, Kate Ní Luasaigh, Gorey Community School, Jamie Kennedy, Creagh College, Micheál Martin, Wexford GAA Chairperson and Declan Browne, Director of Athletic Development

This partnership aims to support athletic performance and development across nine schools in the region, benefitting over 5,000 students annually. The sponsorship supports a comprehensive programme that focuses on athletic development and first and second year competitions.

A major component of the programme is functional movement screening/testing, where first-year students will undergo regular assessments three times a year. In addition, weekly coaching sessions will be provided to players from senior colleges A and B competitions. These students will receive tailored training programmes from strength and conditioning coaches, allowing for both individual skill development and team-focused progress.

Wexford GAA Chairman, Micheál Martin welcomed Tirlán’s support of the programme stating: “Our integrated Athletic Development Programme has been a tremendous success since its inception two years ago. It centres around putting the welfare and development of young players at the core of our activities. The support of Tirlán will help us further develop the programme to support students, further upskill teachers and assist post primary schools with gym facility upgrades in participating schools. This initiative will involve assisting schools in upgrading their gym equipment, so that students have access to modern, well-equipped training facilities that foster their athletic growth.”

Tirlán Chairman, John Murphy commented: “We are delighted to partner with Wexford GAA supporting the next generation of athletes. Growing up and living in Wexford, I’ve seen first-hand the huge impact of the GAA as a positive force in our community. Tirlán, being fully farmer-owned, is committed to strengthening the communities we serve. This new programme underscores Tirlán’s commitment to Wexford – not only as a region rich in agriculture but as a community. Tirlán has a long-standing connection with Wexford, and we are proud to support sport in the local community.”

September was a busy month, marking two significant milestones in our graduate programme – a beginning and an ending

On Monday, 9th September, we were delighted to welcome 16 new graduates for their first day in Tirlán and the first day of their Unearth Your Future Graduate Programme. This cohort will work in areas including Finance, IT, Supply Chain, Planning, Marketing, Operations, Quality, R&D, OH&S and Agri. Among the group, we are lucky to welcome back some who have worked as interns with Tirlán previously.

The day began with a warm welcome from Karen O’Brien, who remarked on how delighted she was that such a talented and diverse group of individuals are ready to embark on their careers with Tirlán. She reminded them that they have two years of learning and experiences ahead so to stay patient, curious and open to development opportunities. Next, Lisa Koep presented the group with an overview of Tirlán’s rich and unique history as well as speaking to the diverse portfolio of products and activities.

Her message to the graduates was to share their ideas as they look at Tirlán with fresh eyes. After lunch there was a change of direction and oat lattes all round when Una Flanagan, Mahsa Naghshineh and Sarah Whelan from the R&D team delivered an excellent product demonstration session.

The day ended with a visit from Mick O’Leary, who having started his career on the graduate programme, is ideally placed to give advice on how best to grow your career in Tirlán. Over the next couple of weeks, the graduates will come back together to build their connections as a group and to learn more about Tirlán. Best of luck to all our 2024 Unearth Your Future graduates!

Then, on Friday, 13th September, we celebrated the achievements of our graduates who have completed their journey which started back in 2022. Aoife Murphy opened the event by recognising the remarkable resilience this group has shown over the last two years. She said they have seen more change than most so early in their career and have navigating changes including graduating college and starting their professional lives in Covid times, along with the launch of Tirlán in the middle of their two year programme.

Two of the graduates, Patrick Kehoe and Thomas Shevlin, shared their personal graduate journeys, sharing both their highlights and their challenges. Afterwards five of the graduates showcased their greenbelt continuous improvement projects. All the projects were outstanding and after a competitive voting process, Patrick Hayes’ project was announced as the inaugural Tirlán Challenge winning project. Special thanks to Eoghan Brophy and Michael Phelan for supporting the graduates with their greenbelt projects. We wish Aaron Tynan, Alexander Nulty, Eoin Regan, Kyeesha Glenn-Davi, Louise Lynch, Niall Behan, Patrick Hayes, Patrick Kehoe, Steven Atkinson, John O’Dwyer and Thomas Shevlin all the best as they embark on the next stage of their careers at Tirlán.

With the support of their managers and peers, we look forward to seeing all our graduates thrive in the coming years.

Each month, we put the spotlight on a Tirlán employee and for our October newsletter, we’re talking to Senior Nutrition Manager Lorraine Moran

In this edition of Chewing the Cud, we are delighted to feature Lorraine Moran, Senior Nutrition Manager and a dedicated and passionate member of our team. Lorraine is passionate about all things food-related and even outside of work, the Westmeath native, who now lives in Dublin, loves to cook for her husband Fred, 7-year-old daughter Josie and 1-year-old son James.

Like many others, Lorraine’s journey with us began during Covid. Since then, her passion, commitment and cross-functional work with R&D have made a significant impact on our organisation.

“I absolutely love food and always knew I wanted to work in food and dietetics. At the time, there were very few opportunities to qualify as a Dietitian in Ireland, so I went to the UK and trained over there. I worked in the NHS in England and Scotland in a range of different clinical specialties within hospitals. I was there for 11 years in the end. It was great to get experience and then work in the private sector.

“I worked for a few years with Abbott Nutrition and joined Tirlán in 2020. I love promoting food as a solution to ill-health and good health. Milk and oats are such an important part of a healthy, balanced diet and it’s great to have an opportunity to help commercialise natural, healthy products with trusted brands like ours.

“Our food industry is changing all the time, so it’s critically important that the Nutrition team keeps updated on health and nutrition policy in our markets and scientific updates. Science never stays still.

“All our work is rooted in strong science and we’re proud of the integrity of the information we share with our colleagues and customers. The Tirlán products and ingredients are highly trusted and respected. I feel we have a duty to support the innovation of healthy products and ingredients. Rebecca Barron, Nutrition Manager, and I work hand in hand with R&D, commercial and marketing teams at Tirlán to deliver this innovation.”

Even when on holiday, Lorraine continues her good food journey and loves trying new places, new tastes and new local cuisine. She is very appreciative of food heritage and food history fascinates her.

“I’m really into food history. I’m a bit of a geek and love learning about where food comes from, such as recipes that date back to the Victorian period. I sometimes try out these recipes in my own kitchen, which my family either loves or hates. But they’re willing guinea pigs nonetheless, which is nice!

“It’s great to be involved in such a positive and fast-moving field. Dietetics is such an evolving sector and I’m a new member of the European Dieticians Association. I was recently appointed to the Professional Practice Committee. It’s a huge honour and privilege. We will be looking at establishing professional competencies across the European region to try to harmonise them and elevate them if possible. There aren’t many industry dietitians appointed, so it’s exciting to take on the challenge and I’m absolutely up for it.”