McCormack Family Farms are leading growers and suppliers of fresh herbs and baby leaf produce. Based in Dunsany, Co. Meath, the business produces over 200 hectares of crop per year and supplies to the retail, wholesale and catering sectors.
The family-run concern has come a long way since Edward McCormack – who had worked in sales and marketing at Warrenstown Horticultural College – started out with just half a hectare of outdoor growing in 1984. Today, under the guidance of his son Stephen, McCormack Family Farms has become one of the largest growers and suppliers of fresh herbs and baby leaf produce in the country. Approximately 25 tonnes of baby leaf and 10 tonnes of herbs are produced each week.
The crops are grown on 140 acres of mostly rented land in the heart of the Royal County. Also located on the farm is one hectare of glasshouse for potted herbs and one hectare of polytunnel for growing herbs. In all, 90 people are employed.
Along with Edward and Stephen, the main growers at the farm are Janusz and Pat Rahilly. Stephen, who is growing manager and managing director, has recently been joined in the business by his brothers Padraig and Edwin.
Owner and founder Edward has over 30 years’ experience in growing and sales. Since graduating from Warrenstown with a degree in horticulture in 1991, Stephen has worked tirelessly with his father to drive the business forward through the introduction of improved and modern growing and farming practices.
Field manager and Poland native Janusz completed an agricultural machinery course in school before attending agricultural college for four years. From 1995 to 2007, he worked on his family farm growing vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, cucumber, onion and tomatoes. He then relocated to Ireland and joined McCormack Family Farms where his responsibilities include growing baby leaf and herb products.
When glasshouse manager Pat Rahilly joined McCormack Farms in 2011, he had over 20 years’ experience in the industry. He oversees the growth of potted herbs, micro leaf production and some outdoor herb growth (under covers) such as Coriander.
All of McCormack’s growers look after and care for a wide variety of produce using natural light, natural soil and generations of growing pride! Their range of leaf includes: Baby Leaf Spinach, Rocket, Kale, Mixed leaves , Mizuna, Mirco Leaves growing and cut, Pak Choi, Pea Shoots, Red Chard and Watercress. A full range of culinary herbs, including Basil, Coriander, Parsley and Mint, are also grown.
Every member of the team understands the craft that goes into growing only the finest quality produce. McCormack Family Farms’ “Loose and Lively” branded products can be found on the shelves of all the main supermarkets, including Tesco, Lidl, Dunes Stores and SUPERVALU. Also supping to food services wholesalers around the country for hotel and restaurants.
Having originally grown root vegetables only, the McCormacks branched into growing herbs in 1998 and baby leaf in 2000. Before long, they began specialising in herbs and baby leaf to cater for what was, and continues to be, a growing market.
“People’s taste began to change with the onset of the Celtic Tiger,” recalls Stephen, who is married to Catriona and has three children, Charlie, Jack and Abbi.
“The market for nutritious and healthy food suddenly began to grow and there were new lines of herbs coming into Ireland from France and England.
You had chefs of different nationalities working in restaurants in Dublin who were using lots of herbs and baby leaf in their dishes. We could see that there was an opening in the market for this type of produce and haven’t regretted going down the road that we did.”
Despite having effectively cornered the fresh herbs and baby leaf market in this country, McCormack Farms faces stiff competition from overseas producers.
“Our main competition comes from imports. Volume is the key to our survival. We have had no choice but to grow big,” Stephen explains.
The McCormack’s use their own transport, comprising two articulated trucks, two rigid trucks and one van, to deliver to their nationwide customer-base. They also specialise in supplying prepacks to the catering sector and supermarkets. As members of Organic Trust Ltd, they supply organically certified herbs, spinach and baby leaf produce. The family-run business is also Bord Bia certified.
With the emphasis being very much on healthy eating nowadays, the company recently launched its super healthy raw juice drinks range in three flavours – beet leaf and orange, spinach and apple and beetroot, peashoots , , kale and carrots.
“We expect our line of juices to go very well for us. They are very tasty and contain 100 per cent natural sugars,” the affable managing director adds.
As a family business, McCormack Family Farms continues to grow superb quality Irish produce. Stephen, Edward and the rest of the team hope you enjoy their nutritional salad leaves and herbs as much as they love growing them!
McCormack Family Farms
Boycetown,
Dunsany,
Co. Meath.
Telephone: 046-9025695
Mobile: 086-8303097/087-2563058
Website: www.mccormackfarms.ie
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 3 No 4, May 2015
