Edenmore Farm has taken great pride in growing and packing a wide variety of the finest potatoes for over 40 years. Located in the heart of the River Lagan Valley, the family business’ aim is to deliver an affordable, well-presented local product and a high standard with traditional great tasting varieties.
The Lilburn name has been synonymous with the Northern Ireland potato industry since 1973 when father-and-son William and Brian Lilburn set up W&B Lilburn in Craigavon, Co. Armagh. As well as supplying potatoes to local shops, they supplied Paul Quinn who was behind the famous Farmer Brown’s crisp brand.
After the contract with Farmer Browns’ ended in 1991, W&B Lilburn secured a new contract with local potato packers Wilson’s Country which continued until three years ago when the family decided to take a different approach. They decided to pack and distribute the potatoes themselves and rebranded the business Edenmore Farm.
“We put our own vans and lorries on the road and in doing so, cut out the middle man,” sales and marketing manager Scott Lilburn explains.
“We now look after the packing and distribution ourselves. We supply to local SuperValu and Centra stores, Total Produce and directly to other private retailers from small supermarkets, butchers and farm shops. Research into what customers wanted from the potato was key. Traditional varieties with traditional weights at affordable prices, aided with designs and branding that targeted modern day housewife but not disengaging with existing customers.”
While Brian and William are still involved in the family business, Scott and his brother and farm manager Dryw oversee operations these days. Like their father and grandfather before them, the brothers have a passion for growing potatoes.
Employing four full-time staff, Edenmore Farm grows thousands of tonnes of quality potatoes each year on 180 acres of mostly rented land in the River Lagan Valley. The Lilburn’s also grow barley, wheat and fodder beet. They pack about 30 tonnes of potatoes each week.
The Irish know their potatoes better than anyone, so the Lilburn’s take great pride in the care and skill with which they grow their spuds. They give their potatoes all the attention they need to ensure they arrive on the consumer’s plate in prime condition. Edenmore Farm strives to provide the highest quality potatoes which meet the standards of the consumer, while being mindful of the environment. Their passion for producing the best keeps them focused and promotes continuous improvement.
The Lilburn’s grow and harvest the potatoes themselves. They run five tractors and various other equipment, including a Grimme self-propelled potato harvester, destoner, sprayer, fertiliser spreader and rotavator.
Once harvested, the potatoes are brought back to the pack-house where they are washed, polished, graded and packed. What distinguishes Edenmore Farm’s potatoes from competitors (apart from their unrivalled taste!) in Northern Ireland is their paper pack. The potatoes come in 2kg, 2.5kg and 5kg branded ‘lift and go’ paper bags which make them stand out from the rest.
“Unlike in Southern Ireland, it’s unusual for potatoes to be packed in paper bags here in the North,” Scott says.
“We changed our packaging from plastic to paper in 2014 because we believe the paper bag appeals more to the younger generation. Also, potatoes in paper packs are not exposed to light, so there is no discolouration or sweating and big key in keeping new season potatoes fresh, when skin is still soft. We haven’t turned our backs on plastic bags completely – we still have potatoes available in 1kg and 2.5kg plastic bags because it what some people are used to.”
The cycle begins for Edenmore Farm in February when planting of ‘early’ potatoes takes place. This is followed by harvesting between the months of June and November. In between, the potatoes are sprayed regularly to control and prevent the spread of potato blight, which can wipe out a crop overnight.
The Lilburn’s have 12 different lines of potatoes. These include Maris Piper, Rooster, Queen’s, Accord, Navan and Saxon. Maris Piper has a pleasant floury texture and is ideal for many potato dishes from chips and roast potatoes to mash and wedges.
Red-skinned, yellow-fleshed, easy to cook any way and hardy, Roosters are the most widely grown potato in Ireland which are traditionally harvested from August through November, and in recent years have become more popular in NI.
Queen’s are a mainstay of the summer with their white skin and flesh, excellent floury texture and beautiful taste. They can be used for boiling, steaming, roasting and chipping. Accord is a waxy, early variety which is good for potato wedges, while Navan have a floury texture and are extremely versatile. Saxon, meanwhile, is a white variety with a creamy flavour which is suitable for boiling, mashing or wedges.
Edenmore Farm also testing a variety of salad potatoes and has recently started producing Bellamondo yellow skin potatoes suitable for baking or chips. In addition, they stock Cyprus potatoes during the off-season and have a new line of 1kg Baker’s on the way and babies in print.
Since rebranding their business three years ago, the Lilburn’s have placed a big emphasis on marketing their products and highlighting the benefits of potatoes.
“We have worked hard on the marketing side and on building brand awareness,” Scott continues.
“There is a perception that potatoes take too long to prepare compared to pasta and rice, but that’s not the case at all. It’s also a misconception to say that potatoes are fattening.
“They are nutritious, healthy and a cheap meal for the family. It has also been proven that they satisfy hunger for longer. They go well with any meal. There is no down that pasta and rice have made inroads into the market, but there are signs that the consumption of potatoes is on the rise again.”
Scott runs a separate business called Agri-tune. Formed in 2008, Agri-tune specialises in agricultural tuning which grew from the rise in tractors being released with ECU’s (engine control units) with Ben Logan managing UK & Scotland, Andrew Lacey managing the Republic of Ireland and Rhys Lilburn managing Northern Ireland.
The Agri-tune programmes are designed and tailored to suit the required job of the vehicles with power the customers wants without compromising the lifespan of the vehicle. The gains are around an extra 30-50hp along with 150-450 Ibf-ft of torque, while improving fuel economy by saving 6 litres an hour. Adblue, DPF’s and EGR’s can also be removed from the tractors software via the remapping process.
Edenmore Farm
36 Taughlumny Road,
Donacloney,
Craigavon,
BT66 7NX
Telephone: 028 9261 1361
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 8, September 2015
