The mushroom market has recently faced the same challenges as all Irish Food companies, particularly those in the commodity food segments, where the prime focus of competition is on price.
John & Karen Kerrigan of Goldshield Mushrooms
This challenging environment was the driver behind the decision of father and daughter team John and Karen Kerrigan to start the consumer brand development process.
“Our customers were telling us that while they wanted value, they still preferred local Irish products but they also wanted to offer their consumers added value and convenience,” said Karen Kerrigan Key Account Manager.
“We’ve therefore developed our own brand Kerrigan’s Mushrooms and a range of oven ready stuffed mushrooms, alongside a more traditional range of pre-packed button and sliced mushrooms.
The Goldshield Branding
We used the family name in this new brand to convey premium, Irish family and fresh values”. In addition to a range of different packaging formats, Goldshield have also recently launched their own website for the first time: www.kerrigansmushrooms.ie
“With the addition of the new brand, plus the continuing growing sales of our more traditional button and sliced mushrooms, we aim to expand the mushroom category, a market which is now worth over €50 million” explained John Kerrigan.
“We also intend to exploit the increasing trend for in-home cooking and entertaining. We were delighted when we were chosen by Bord Bia for a visit by celebrity chef Neven Maguire and to appear on RTE’s Nevens Home Chef series recently (11th March 2010), will give us great exposure” he added.
Goldshield Mushrooms
Goldshield Mushrooms is a family enterprise established 28 years ago. Headed by John Kerrgian, Managing Director, and his daughter Karen Kerrigan as Key Account Manager, the business employs over 70 people. The company picks and packs 100 000 pounds of mushrooms (over 45 tonnes ) a week. The business supplies and sells a range of pre-packed, stuffed, sliced, organic and custom mixes.
The Irish Mushroom Market
Recent TNS data (week ending 27th Dec 2009) shows that the Irish mushroom market is now worth €50 m and despite difficult conditions mushroom sales in Ireland have slowed to only minus 1.3% year on year. This is still an over-performance when compared to the total grocery market which has seen sales fall by 3.6%.
