Sam Dennigan, founder and CEO of the Strong Roots brand, photo by Tom Maher.

by Jade French

When Sam Dennigan founded Strong Roots in Dublin in 2015, it was with the dream of making high-quality, plant-based frozen foods a real contender in supermarket aisles the world over. The company’s growth has coincided with a huge uptick in the number of vegans in the UK, a rate that quadrupled between 2014 and 2019. More people than ever before are looking for the alternative, vegan-friendly options that Strong Roots champion; think spinach bites, beetroot wedges, sweet potato and butternut nuggets, sweet potato fries and cauliflower hash browns, just for starters.

The brand’s manifesto is to bring sustainably-sourced food to as many people as possible. This “farm to fork” mentality is rooted in seasonal Irish products that eschew industrial farming in favour of local producers. All the food is frozen on site within 30 minutes of leaving the soil and, in keeping with an environmentally-conscious spirit, the brand also re-uses farm water for cleaning and relies on recyclable packaging.

This year has seen innovative product launches for Strong Roots such as the unveiling of Little Roots, plant-based snacks for children.

The brand’s signature visuals incorporate bright colours and delicious-looking vegetables.

The latest chapter in the Strong Roots story has seen the brand secure a listing in over 2,000 Walmart stores across the US. Having already expanded on deals with Target, Wegmans and Whole Foods Market, it now seems just a matter of time before this Irish-based company becomes a household name in the States. With listings in 8,000 stores globally, expansion appears to be front of mind for Dennigan, who aims to make Strong Roots available to 10% of the global population by 2023.

With the world in their sights, how will Strong Roots retain their commitment to local, Irish produce? Dennigan told The Irish Times: “I started this company because I believe in farm to fork. Consumers have embraced our products as they hunt for healthy, easy options in the freezer aisle and we’re thrilled to continue growing with this Walmart expansion”.

Strong Root’s international outlook also makes sense in the light of impending Brexit decisions, and a future in which local solutions might bolster Irish supply chains. After all, the local/global relationship doesn’t have to be set in opposition when the benefit of frozen food means capturing fresh taste at the point of production. It seems there’s no slowing down for this fast-growing brand.

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Strong Roots grow fast