Staff at an Irish bakery which this year produced a whopping 800,000 Christmas puddings for the domestic, UK and Dutch market are finally getting into holiday mode after months of hard graft.
The 70 plus staff at Seery’s Bakery in Carlow are close to finishing packing up the last of this year’s Christmas puddings, most of them traditional 1lb desserts made from 400 tonnes of sultanas, several tonnes of free range eggs, butter, sugar and flour mountains and much more.
The fabulous Carlow-made desserts are available across Ireland through Musgrave’s Super Valu and Centra shops, Dunnes Stores and Tesco. Even more are now on the shelves of Asda stores across the UK and Albert Heijn’s 800 shops across The Netherlands.
It’s been all hands on deck at the Tinryland bakery and Seery’s Graiguecullen distribution hub in what is affectionately dubbed Carlow - the Christmas Capital of Ireland. The town and surrounding hinterland already boasts nationally-renowned attractions such as the Arboretum Christmas Village, The Santa Train Experience at Rathwood, Christmas at Huntington Castle and the fabulous Christmas Farmers Market.
The month-long County Carlow – a Festive Family Experience – celebrations are about to kick off and slap bang in the middle is Carlow Culinary Christmas, a celebration of all things food-related in the county. And Seery’s domination in the Christmas treats market is literally the icing on the cake and helps boost the county’s appeal as a Culinary Christmas hub and a popular destination for the culinary curious.
“We’ve imported 400 tonnes of sultanas from Turkey, just for this year’s puddings,” Brian Seery explained. “That’s a 40ft container arriving into our bakery in Tinryland every 15 days. While we do puddings of all sizes, the traditional, pound weight is still the most popular.
“We make the own brand puddings for the leading supermarket chains but we’re delighted to have worked with top chefs such as Kevin Dundon. We have worked with him on his grandmother’s recipe and have helped him produce that for a mass market. Traditional Christmas puddings made in people’s kitchens are steamed for 5 to 6 hours. We’ve employed the same process in our bakery – we’re just doing it on a far bigger scale using Grade A dried fruit and the very best of ingredients.”
This year, the export market has grown steadily and now accounts for 55 per cent of trade. It’s a fitting boost as the Seery family celebrates 30 years in business next year and just as they open their pop-up Christmas confectionary shop at the Tinryland bakery. Brian’s wife, Lorraine, is one of many Carlow-based entrepreneurs taking part in CATALYST, a new 3-year (2018-2020) cross-border project to support the Food & Drink & Life Science sectors across Ireland and Wales.
“Our success story shows you can set up a business anywhere, once you have the right team. Carlow is a fantastic location, close to Dublin and well serviced by road and rail. The new motorway is fantastic. It’s a hive of ambition and innovation and our location has been key to our success.
“We’re passionate about what we do. Carlow is a fantastic county with a very strong food heritage and culture. We have amazing food producers, excellent restaurants, cafes and hotels. And we’re proud to welcome people from all over Ireland to Carlow, particularly at Christmas time.”
As life at Seery’s quietens down a little, the festive buzz across Carlow is about to significantly increase. This year’s family-focused, inclusive celebrations include the Eist Cancer Support Candlelight Walk of Hope, a Jingle Bell Jog, the sparkling Duckett’s Grove Christmas Food and Craft Fair, a Carlow Culinary Christmas festival from December 6 to 8 featuring Rachel Allen, Martin Shanahan, Chef Adrian and more as well as an unmissable, indoor Winter Market, Carols by Candlelight and so much more.
Carlow County Council CE, Kathleen Holohan, said: “This year Carlow has added some really magical events and offerings to appeal to all our communities and to make the festive period a special time of year. Carlow is fast becoming a coveted destination for festive fun and food. We’re very lucky to have excellent food producers, a thriving café, bar and restaurant culture, quality hotels and accommodation providers. Carlow really is a homely, safe, easily accessible and unique destinations and we really go all out for the festive season. I look forward to a record-breaking 2018 in Carlow,” she said.
Cathaoirleach of Carlow County Council, Brian O’Donoghue, added: “Christmas is a very special time of year for all our communities, as well as visitors to Carlow town and county. We are proud to offer such an array of events for everyone to enjoy. We look forward to welcoming new and returning visitors and to a brilliant Christmas and holiday season for everyone.”
Editor’s Note:
About CATALYST
CATALYST is a new 3-year (2018-2020) cross-border project to support the Food & Drink & Life Science sectors across Ireland and Wales. It is funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Ireland Wales Cooperation Programme, 2014-2020.
Neans McSweeney,Director,McSweeney Media,11 Patrick Street,Kilkenny.00 353 86 2620 355www.mcsweeneymedia.ie
