Ireland is renowned for producing some of the best fruit and veg in the world as our climate is perfect for the growing of certain food products.
There are many growers all over the country, and this industry employs thousands of people as they supply shops, hotels, restaurant, hospitals, the public and other sectors.
Fruit & veg can come in a variety of forms as they are now companies that prepare them and ensure that are ready for use.
One such company is Joe Kelly Fruit & Veg, which is based in Skreen, Co Sligo. Joe set up the business 36 years ago and they are still going strong today.
The background to this family run business is intriguing to say the least as Joe and his wife Phil initially set up a fruit & veg distribution company building it up to supply major supermarkets, shops and restaurants across the north west of the country, engaging local workers and drivers to meet the demand.
However, the introduction of central distribution for supermarkets began to be implemented from 2000 and this meant that local suppliers such as Joe Kelly were no longer used, and this began the decline of his original customer list and business.
Many businesses would have just given up and closed down, but Joe showed a fighting spirit that reveals the reason why they have been so successful over the years.
Joe Kelly responded to this change with courageous investment and innovation. With the help of Sligo Leader Company, Sligo County Enterprise Board, and other bodies, Joe formed a plan to move into prepared and packaged fresh vegetables, supplying Restaurants, Hotels, Hospitals and other large catering organisations.
“We have built our reputation on the quality of the fresh produce we source and the highest level of service we provide to our customers,” said Joe.
“To this day, we have stayed true to what’s important to us and to what our name stands for tasty fruit and veg delivered fresh to you every day.
“We practically had to start all over again from scratch. It wasn’t easy getting the business up and running again. Our big break came when Sligo’s busiest restaurant Yeats Tabern gave us their business and they are still with us today.”
Joe added that only the best of growers are used to source their products, which come from many different farms around the country.
“We go to great lengths to select only the finest quality fruit & vegetables through our network of Irish growers and indeed some of our fruit comes from Holland and Spain also. We pack, prepare and deliver to our customers nationwide every day. We guarantee you the very best in season product which will taste great every time.”
Joe stressed that they stick to a number of policies and by doing this he feels that they can maintain the level of service that their customers have become used too.
“Over the years, we have learned from experience and we follow the same key points all the time, some of these include no quibble return of any product – recently freshly packaged – No added Chemicals – All Natural Preparation – Any volume of any product available – Prompt Delivery – Own Preparation line – Health Board Compliant – Own Delivery vehicles and Drivers – Daily vehicle check.”
Some of the products that Kelly’s supply their customers with are Peeled Potatoes, Sliced diced batton carrots, Sliced diced baton swede, Prepared Cabbage, Fresh Chips cut daily, Pre packed salads, Fresh fruit salads, Sliced diced red & white onion.
“Prepared vegetables and fresh fruit & veg are delivered daily all over the West of Ireland. We are one of Ireland’s leading, locally sourced distributor of fresh produce, freshly prepared food and catering products,” added Joe.
“Everything prepared daily on our own purpose built premises to HSE standards, fully HACCP approved. We are also one of the largest privately owned fruit and vegetable companies in Ireland. We are dedicated to sourcing the finest and freshest produce available worldwide. We are 100% committed to sourcing Irish products whenever suitable quality is available.”
Having come through a number of recessions, Joe admits that every decision regarding the business has to be taken with the utmost of care.
“We are fortunate to have a very good customer base many of who have been with us a number of years. Expansion is something that we are looking at, but with the way things are, we won’t be doing much for the next 12 months or so.
“Certainly, the recessions have made us stronger as a company and I don’t feel the last one is fully over yet, especially in the west of the country. We have become more educated and that means everybody in business has done so.
“We’re pleased with the direction that the business is heading and as long as we can keep the customers happy and ensure we maintain the same level of service that everything should be ok.”
Joe Kelly Fruit & Veg
Skreen,
Co. Sligo,
Ireland.
Tel: 071 91 76 413
Mob: 087 25 70 547
Email: [email protected]
Taken from Irish Tractor & Agri magazine Vol 4 No 1, January 2016
