Environmentalists get their (organic) oats as Flahavan's wins environmental award.
Flahavan's, based in Kilmacthomas has won the award for its Organic Porridge Oats products at the 2006 Annual Environmental Awards held by the
Cork Environmental Forum in City Hall last week. The criteria for the Business and Commercial food-product category award were minimal packaging,
recyclability and biodegradability. All entrants in the five categories for the 2006 Environmental Awards had been nominated for their contribution
towards environmental care following a postcard competition held earlier in the Spring where 10,000 postcards were distributed in Cork City and County
inviting nominations for products with environmentally friendly packaging.
In receiving the Flahavan's award, John Flahavan who was accompanied by his wife Mary talked about how the company had come about this design for
this product. He had brought with him a bag from the 1930's, which had been saved by the company; this was almost the same as that used for the
winning product. He had also brought with him a bag sample from a slightly later time, which would have carried 112 pounds of oats for the grocer
shops of the day to dispense to customers. A display of photographs showed different aspects of the family company based in Kilmacthomas for over
200 years. They had taken an interest in being environmentally conscious and burnt the husks of the oats to produce steam, which provides 25 Kilo
Watts of energy for the company. Cllr Dominick Donnelly, Chairman of the Cork Environmental Forum said, "Flahavans had provided an excellent example
of how a company could make a huge difference and be an important example to others” and that "all the nominees had in different ways made a huge
impact in supporting positive environmental work and the CEF objectives." Each Award winner received a framed certificate and a native oak tree to plant.
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 Flahavan's
Scoops Prestigious Export Award
E Flahavan & Sons Ltd – one of Ireland's oldest family-owned food
companies – has won the prestigious Irish Exporters Association Irish
Food and Drink Export Award for 2005.
The company won the award for its expansion into the UK market with two
new branded products, Flahavan's Irish Porridge Oats and Flahavan's
Microwaveable Quick Oats.
 The
Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford, based company is Ireland's oldest and
leading provider of oat-based brands and products. Flahavan's sources
all its ingredients locally and its major export markets are Britain and
Northern Ireland, where a planned major push is expected to increase
sales substantially.
Other nominees for the Irish Food and Drink Export Award were Irish
Yoghurts Ltd of Clonakilty, Co Cork, and O'Brien's Irish Sandwich Bar
Ltd of Dublin.
Flahavan's is Ireland's favourite porridge brand, with over one million
servings consumed nationwide each week. The company employs 35 people
and has been milling oats in Co Waterford for over 200 years.
Innovation is at the fore of Flahavan's product development. Earlier
this year, the company extended its range to meet the growing need for
health-contributing and convenience products in the breakfast category.
Flahavan's Quick Oats portable porridge – individual serving portions
that can be prepared in the microwave in just 90 seconds – has now been
introduced on the UK market.
"We are delighted that E Flahavan & Sons Ltd has been selected by the
Irish Exporters Association judging panel. This important award
recognises our recent expansion success into the UK market," John
Flahavan, Chairman of the company, said.
John Noonan, Marketing Director, E Flahavan & Sons Ltd, said the company
had carried out a strategic review of its business which showed
geographic branded expansion outside of Ireland, particularly in the UK
market, as an area of opportunity.
"Although Flahavan's is a household name in Ireland, it was relatively
unknown in the UK,” he said. "Early research showed that to gain success
in this market, the products would have to be distinctive, with a strong
set of unique benefits. With this brief, we developed two new oat-based
products, which we launched in the UK, under the Flahavan's brand name –
Flahavan's Irish Porridge Oats and Flahavan's Microwaveable Quick Oats.”
The awards were presented at a recent ceremony in the O'Reilly Hall,
University College, Dublin by the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and
Employment, Mr Micheál Martin, TD.
FLAHAVAN'S
HOT UP THE UK PORRIDGE MARKET WITH TESCO LAUNCH
Recent months have seen the launch of two new brands from Flahavan's -
Ireland's favourite porridge producer - in the UK with Tesco. Flahavans
Microwaveable Quick Oats - authentic Irish porridge oats easily prepared
in the microwave in under 2 minutes - comes in a new resealable drum
format for added freshness and includes a handy measuring scoop to
ensure perfect porridge every time. Flahavans Irish Porridge Oats
focuses on the Irish origin and texture as a point of taste difference
in a market that generally uses Scottish Oats.
The launch represents the culmination of over 2 years' research by
Flahavans, Bord Bia and Tesco. John Noonan, Marketing Director of
Flahavans, explained: "The UK market - valued at around stg£70 million -
offers a strong opportunity for growth, being almost 12 times the value
of the Irish market for hot oats. Tesco UK's share of this market alone
is worth about three times the size of the total Irish market." Dan
Maltby, Tesco Hot Cereals buyer added "The opportunity for sales of
porridge oats increases in the autumn when the cold weather starts. The
new Flahavan brands bring a strong degree of innovation and added value
to the Hot Oats category in Tesco, two essential ingredients necessary
to ensure that new products are likely to succeed in the UK".
As the oldest family-run food company in Ireland, Flahavans has
continued to innovate and expand without compromising on the company's
promise of quality and taste. Today, John Flahavan, is the sixth
generation to successfully produce Ireland's preferred porridge brand.
Based in the village of Kilmacthomas, Co. Waterford, the company employs
33 people and is one of the last remaining indigenous private family
food brands.
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