When it comes to Irish food brands, few are as globally famous as Clonakilty Food Co, the makers of possibly the most famous black pudding in the world. With roots back in the 1800s in a butcher’s shop in the west Cork town – in fact, the butcher’s shop still trades today on Pearse Street in Clonakilty – this proud family firm may have built a global presence but it still holds true to its initial strong values as a company.
This year, Clonakilty Food Co is celebrating reaching Gold Status in the Ireland’s Best Managed Companies programme, a significant milestone for this award-winning Cork company. “We’re delighted to reach Gold Status this year,” commented Colette Twomey, Clonakilty’s chief executive. “It’s a great chance to look at the business; where it’s going, what are its aims. We use the process to spend a bit of time documenting our progress and our aspirations. External validation is always more valuable than internal, so to get the accolade is great. It’s great for the team to hear someone from the outside saying they are doing a great job and that we’re on track.”
The team also sees the process as a valuable ‘reset’. “When you review your strategy plan, it refocuses you for the year ahead. If we didn’t go through the process each year, we would be consumed by the everyday business. This helps us stop and think and focus.”
Clonakilty’s success is down to their ability to give their customers what they want – something that dates back to the very origins of the business. For instance, when Twomey’s husband, Edward, took over the butcher’s shop in 1976, he was initially reluctant to continue making the black pudding but when he saw the demand, he realised he should produce it regularly – and thus, a huge food brand began to emerge.
Since her husband passed away, Twomey has continued to deliver what her customers want, and today, the company produces a large food product range, including Clonakilty White Pudding, Clonakilty Sausages, Clonakilty Rashers, Clonakilty Bacon Joints and Clonakilty Veggie Puddings and Sausages. The company has expanded to about 65 people, mainly in Clonakilty but also in Dublin, Britain and Australia.
BMC success
Twomey believes that the fact that they have remained a family company is key to their success. “When we were first made a BMC, I began to realise what works for us – maybe it’s the culture, the family values or the fact that it’s all about teamwork at Clonakilty. A family business doesn’t have the layers; it’s a kitchen table rather than a boardroom table – that sort of concept. Decisions are quick, from the heart and come from common sense. It works.
“Within the BMC network of companies, I think it’s great that the family structure and instilled values are seen as just as applaudable as larger corporates.”
Clonakilty might not have hundreds of members of staff, but the four pillars in the BMC framework apply just as much to them as to bigger companies. For instance, as with many other food businesses, sustainability has become a huge priority in recent years.
“You have to have sustainability in a food business. We work to a very tight process; inevitably there’s food waste but we have the services of an aerobic digester company, and any food waste is generated into power. If sustainability is front of mind, it just becomes your work style; it’s massively important.”
Customer first
More innovation comes from listening to their customers. “We are nothing without our customers and we recognise that people’s tastes are changing,” said Twomey. “So we introduced our vegetarian sausages and puddings for our customers who are eating less meat. In terms of innovation, we have just moved into the frozen category, with frozen cocktail sausages and black pudding bites in kilo packs.
“Freezers are becoming popular again because there’s no waste and they’re convenient. They’re also ideal for air fryers, which is a big trend now. It’s simply about listening to the consumer at all times.”
And, it seems, listening to your employees and management colleagues is just as important for success at Clonakilty – which is very much in keeping with the company’s family values. “We have a very simple management structure, with meetings once a month. We don’t work in silos, we simply all sit around together and listen to each other’s reports. We mightn’t all know what’s happening in the marketplace but we know what’s right for our company. This has stood to us over the years. It means that everyone knows what’s going on in every part of the business.
“That then filters down the company to all staff. For instance we have a newsletter that keeps everyone informed about what’s going on. I think it’s very important for everyone to know what’s going on down at the back door as well as the front. Everyone has to feel involved and have a passion for the business. We stay in touch – it’s very, very important. Everyone is representing the business at the end of the day.”