Bright horizons for Keogh's
by Julie-Ann Sherlock
When you live abroad, you often hanker for a taste of home. As an Irish person who spends a lot of time travelling in Southeast Asia, salted-egg or chilli-fried fish-flavoured snacks (no matter how authentic) will never beat an Irish packet of crisps for me.
Thankfully, those living in the UK will now have access to the wonders of the Irish crisp thanks to a new partnership between artisan crisp producer Keogh's and UK supermarket Waitrose. As partnerships go, it seems fitting that a premium brand like Keogh's would team up with Waitrose, named Which? 2020 Supermarket of the Year.
Keogh's makes crisps using only the best quality Irish ingredients and caters to dietary restrictions for those following a gluten-free or vegetarian diet. A new partnership with the Waitrose group will help consolidate their global brand presence, particularly in these challenging post-Brexit times.
Managing Director Tom Keogh is now well-acquainted with the difficulties of doing business between EU states and the UK: "The real challenge has been uncertainty, which in reality, had stopped all UK progress for us since the Brexit vote in 2016. Now with all of this behind us and clarity on what we now need to deal with, I really do see this announcement with Waitrose as the restart of a bright future in the UK market."
While innovation and forward-thinking are vital for the company's survival, as we highlighted in an ALHAUS magazine issue last year, good old-fashioned values also play a significant role and are part of the reason they teamed up with Waitrose.
"We are delighted to be opening a new trading partnership in the UK with Waitrose — their focus on quality, taste, sustainability and traceability is really at the core of what we do here on the farm,” notes Tom.
This means that all UK-based lovers of great crisps can sate their snacking needs with an authentic taste of Ireland. With delicious flavours like Shamrock and Sour Cream, Mature Irish Cheese and Onion and the more exotic Chorizo and Cherry Tomato to choose from, the Keogh's brand seems set to gain a whole new level of traction outside of its native Ireland.