Errigal Mushrooms is a thriving mushroom business based in Emyvale, Co. Monaghan. The farm, which is meticulously managed and operated by father and son duo Niall and Brendan Mc Kenna, produces 40,000KG of top quality, award winning, fresh and local white mushrooms on a weekly basis and its crop is marketed via leading Northern Ireland based Producer Organisation Northway.
Established since 2009 the farm has invested wisely and as a result has grown from a team of just six that produced 3,500KG of mushrooms weekly, to a team of almost 60 producing 40,000KG weekly. As well as supplying its local, loyal customer base of retailers, wholesalers and caterers throughout Ireland, 95% of Errigal Mushrooms weekly crop is destined for the shelves of National Retailers Asda, Sainsbury and Waitrose, amongst others.
The Mc Kenna family attribute part of its on-going to success to savvy investments in its farm and also their commitment to always growing top quality produce for its customers. In addition to this they also made a pledge to thrive and not just survive when their industry has faced its challenges throughout the past seven years. In the past five years alone, Niall has invested around €2.0 million on his farm which has helped transition it to using the latest technologies to help maximising output and includes the installation of two biomass pellet boilers which means that farm burns no oil and has significantly reduced emissions and reduced heat and steam costs by 50%.
Speaking of the farms continued achievements Niall Mc Kenna, who started the family business when he was just eighteen years old said: “At the outset the growing area of Errigal Mushrooms was just 1296 m2 and used phase Two compost. The farm has invested in order to expand to a growing area of 7623 m2, utilising phase 3 compost. Alongside this investment I have used my own personal knowledge and skills in growing top quality mushrooms in order to train, manage and develop a strong, core team of people to understand our market and our customer requirements and to work diligently in order to deliver quality – week in and week out. This ethos has helped us secure new business orders in what is often a very competitive market.
“I personally believe, the only way to succeed in the mushroom sector is to grow top quality mushrooms and we do this by maximising yields in order to improve efficiencies to reduce growing costs. In addition to this we listen to our customers.
“Exemplary of this is that over the past four years Errigal Mushrooms has produced 80% of its mushroom crop in prepacks and 20% in loose trays, this is driven entirely by customer demand and a demand which is not only set to continue but which is growing. This presents Errigal with very real opportunities as we move forward in our 2017/ 2018 planning.”
Being a Board Member of Northway Producer Organisation, Niall works collaboratively with fellow grower members in order to share best practice in strategically planning a collaborative growing approach that allows members achieve better return in the marketplace, experience reduced individual overhead costs, enjoy increased overall viability and to create a more strengthened and more sustainable supply chain. Northway collectively sell 32,500 tonnes annually to a plethora of customers including Hughes Mushrooms, Annaghmore Mushrooms and Unimush as well being a trusted and reliable supplier of premium quality, fresh and local produce to the catering and wholesale trade throughout Ireland and UK.
One of only two Producer Organisations in the horticulture sector in Ireland, Northway work openly and transparently with all members to ensure that its growers produce can be marketed and to ensure maximum return is received by growers and Niall reinforces the benefits by stating that:
“Being a member of Northway PO ensures that member’s route to market is both strategic and secure and it also enables all members, including Errigal Mushrooms, to invest in growing farms, improving efficiencies and achieving the best possible price through a collaborative growing and planning approach.”
Additionally, Northway work tirelessly to ensure continued investment on behalf of all its members – the latest of which is the planned £20 million investment it will make in a Phase 3 Compost Manufacturing Facility in order to provide all Northway Members access to 1100 tonnes of phase Three compost. This investment will allow Northway Members to continue to invest, grow and expand in their own facilities throughout the course of the next five years in order to compete for new business and further export opportunities.
Speaking of the future Niall Mc Kenna concluded: “I’m very excited by the opportunities open to us throughout the next five years. Securing new business for our fresh, local produce over imported product is always our aim and when it happens we see it as recognition of the investment we have put into Errigal Mushrooms over the past five years and an achievement by the entire team that contribute to and therefore share in our success.
Errigal Mushrooms Ltd
Errigal,
Emyvale,
Co Monaghan
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 5 No 1, January/February 2017
