Branding and What’s Really Inside

March 22, 2010

There’s a movement now going on in the food industry that has a focus on product branding.  Within the industry, there are food manufacturers that are getting a make-over by changing a logo or rebranding and repackaging some products to give a new look to an old favourite.

Branding is important for identification for the company that has built a reputation on it’s name.  It’s also important for the consumer who historically choses a particular brand for quality, value, price, performance, or any number of reasons. 

With increased competition, particularly during times of recession, some companies choose to manufacture products and put labels on them for a specific shop, store, or maybe even for another company.  This practice isn’t limited to food companies either.  I’ve experienced it in the Electronics, Biomedical, and Pharmaceutical industries as well.  And then there are some companies that choose to manufacture products under their own brand only.

When I was having breakfast one recent morning, I noticed that Kellogg’s made an interesting point on the back of the cereal box.  It said: 

Did you know?  We don’t make cereals for anyone else!  Kellogg’s has been making cereals for over 100 years.  We’re proud to say we still use only the highest quality ingredients in our unique recipes to bring only the very best cereals to your bowl.  In fact, we’re so proud of our cereals we don’t make them for ANYONE ELSE.  We believe only people who buy Kellogg’s products should enjoy the unique and exceptional Kellogg’s taste.  For that reason… If it doesn’t say Kellogg’s on the box… it isn’t Kellogg’s in the box!

After reading that, I thought, “That’s exactly why we don’t put anyone else’s name on our Kylemore Acres products!”  Thanks for putting it so well, Kellogg’s!

We’ve only been making our products for just over 5 years now, but we have been approached by other companies interested in having us put their brand on our packaging.  It’s flattering to have our products thought of so highly, but Diana and I decided a long time ago when we started this venture that we wanted people to know 3 fundamental things about our Kylemore Acres branded products:

1. Our sachet and mulling spice products are genuinely Artisan-produced, with all of them handmade on our premises in Co. Galway.
2. We make every effort to ensure they’re consistent in quality right from our herb growing, harvesting, and drying processes and through the manufacturing and packaging processes.
3. Our products provide a healthy food option for consumers because all of our products are All-Natural and Gluten Free. There are no preservatives, additives or MSG in our products.

So, to echo what Kellogg’s said about their cereals…

If it doesn’t say Kylemore Acres ON your gourmet food package, then it isn’t Kylemore Acres IN the package!

New Retailers: February 2010

March 8, 2010

Thankfully, we’ve seen the popularity of our gourmet products grow, and with that, our base of selected retail shops around the country has continued to expand, despite the economic downturn.  Welcome to the following retailers that began stocking our gourmet herb sachets in February:

Annaharvey Farm Foods in Tullamore, Co. Offaly
Nolan’s Butchers in Crookstown, Athy, Co. Kildare
Ennis Butchers in Rialto, Dublin 8
Dunne’s of Donnybrook (Butchers) in Donnybrook, Dublin 4
Growing Greener in Thomastown, Co. Kilkenny
Karoo Farm Shop in Killinick, Co. Wexford
Fleming’s of Dundrum (Butchers) in Dundrum, Dublin 14
Fleming’s of Stepaside (Butchers) in Stepaside, Dublin 18
Molloy’s Country Market in Moate, Co. Westmeath
Cullen’s Quality Butchers in Wicklow, Co. Wicklow
Callaghan’s Farm Shop in Duleek, Co. Meath

Coming Soon: On-Line Shopping

March 8, 2010

Kylemore Acres is pleased to announce that our On-Line Shopping facility will be available in March 2010.  You’ll be able to purchase our gourmet food products from anywhere in the World.  So, if you live outside the island of Ireland, you’ll be able to enjoy our products in your own home, whether it’s in Paris, France or Paris, Maine (USA).