21 April 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
I love Clonakilty Black Pudding, but when it comes to White pudding I can highly recommend the De Róiste version instead. De Róiste is another Cork food producer, and it a more recent arrival so does not yet have the brand recognition of it’s Clonakilty rivals. Unfortunately, the De Róiste .ie website is broken, but they have a WordPress blog which does work. This only adds to the authenticity and freshness of the brand, it is run by people, local people who are busy doing, not just talking about doing! The De Róiste brand currently focuses its marketing on Twitter (More than 1,870 followers) with a sub Twitter handle for their puddings (currently only 40 followers), but let’s not get too caught up in marketing spiel, these folks focus on producing a fine product, and I am getting hungry as I type! The brand logo may already be familiar to you
This logo may be familiar from your supermarket shopping
Situated in Ballyvourney, Co Cork, De Róiste Foods was set up by Jimmy Allen and his sons Declan and Cathal, where now a team of nine local employees help to produce an award-winning Irish range of black and white and pudding. Using traditional methods passed down by family generations and garnering both Blás na hÉireann and Great Taste Awards, Ballyvourney black and white pudding is a firm favourite loved by Irish households nationwide.
Today it was confirmed that the product is available in all 142 Aldi stores nationwide. Being awarded a 12-month contract (the product had previously been stocked for trial periods) following a successful ‘Grow with Aldi’ specialbuys launch in 2019 allowed De Róiste Foods to increase its production and to expand their business offering. This includes a brand new product line of ‘Ballyvourney Sausages’ which will consist of two flavours – Tomato & Herb and Herb & Garlic created for the summer BBQ season, which will launch in all 142 Aldi stores nationwide on the 31st May 2020, as part of the ‘Grow with Aldi’ 2020 programme.
The Grow with Aldi programme has enabled De Róiste Foods to supply all 142 Aldi stores around Ireland, a lifeline during the uncertainty of Covid-19 pandemic. The De Róiste Foods team has met recent challenges with a significant loss in sales and orders from the closure of hotels and cafes. However, the major push on the retail sector and in particular Aldi to keep shelves fully stocked has allowed the team to weather the storm.
Co-Founder of De Róiste Foods, Cathal Allen said,
“Many aspects of our business such as supplying to cafés and hotels literally disappeared overnight, but we have seen a surge in our business with Aldi through the Grow with Aldi initiative. The reduced payment terms that Aldi activated during this Covid-19 crisis has played a critical and crucial part in allowing us to keep all our nine employees in a job. The Grow with Aldi initiative has allowed us the opportunity to pick up the phone anytime, I know the team on a first name basis and it just helps to build great business relationship”.
Sales for the Ballyvourney supplier were up almost 40% in March, when compared with January and February.
John Curtin, Group Buying Director of Aldi Ireland said,
“Over the last few months our suppliers have experienced unprecedented circumstances. Their teams have worked around the clock to provide the products to keep our shelves stocked for customers, and we want to do everything we can to support them. We have already implemented shorter payment terms for over 200 Aldi suppliers who will have their invoices processed and payment within 5 working days. We’re delighted to hear that this has had such a positive impact on the team at De Róiste Foods, we will continue to support them and all of our Irish suppliers throughout this time of uncertainty. We are excited for customers all over Ireland to get an opportunity to try the wonderful Ballyvourney sausages launching on the 31st May”.
Aldi is committed to growing its Irish supply base and increasing the number of Irish products available in its stores. It has invested more than €1,500,000 in its Grow with Aldi supplier development programme since 2018, which offers up-and-coming artisan Irish food and drink producers the chance to have their products listed in Aldi’s 142 stores.
