Shoppers in Scotland get a taste for crispy onions from Limavady

The exciting business growth follows Milgro’s outstanding success in the recent Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards (IQFDA) in Dublin.

Owned and managed by the Miller family on their farm, the enterprising company produces award-winning crispy onions which will be sold across the extensive SPAR network in Scotland, of over 300 stores. The crispy onions are made from Milgro’s own locally grown onions, when in season, which gives the products great provenance and means the company has total control over growing and processing.

The crispy onions are then prepared and produced in the dedicated and BRC AA accredited facilities on the farm, situated at Myroe, in the heart of Limavady’s picturesque Roe Valley.

The awards also reflect the extent of Milgro’s longstanding and successful commitment to innovation in its product portfolio and production processes,

according to company managing director, Gerald Miller.

“We were thrilled with the latest recognition at IQFDA at the Mansion House in Dublin. Following on from our recent Great Taste Awards, we were absolutely delighted! We believe there are exciting times ahead for Milgro.”

Milgro was awarded Gold for its tasty Flame Grilled Steak Flavour Crispy Onion Snack Pack in 2022. The latest awards followed its achievement the previous year of Gold and Bronze for its tasty products. IQFDA is the most important annual event in the Irish food and drink calendar.

The market leading Co Derry company lists Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Henderson Group as stockists of the award-winning Crispy Onions, as well as being the supplier of whole onions to Sainsbury’s, Asda, Co-Op and Henderson Group’s Eurospar, Spar and VivoXtra retail brands. In addition, Milgro supplies diced and sliced onions to Henderson Retail for its network of stores.

Milgro has, furthermore, recently secured a supply agreement with S&W Wholesale, in Newry which gives the company an ‘all-island’ presence. Crispy onions can also be found in many independent butchers across Northern Ireland.

Whilst the company has enjoyed an increased recognition of its products and brand since the pandemic, there are no thoughts within the family and the management team about resting on its laurels, with further expansion for the range of products on the horizon, with innovation at the heart of exciting plans.

Support for its focus on innovation came following an approach to the North West Regional College and, in particular, its Business Support Centre (BSC) through the Department of the Economy’s InnovateUS programme which provides funding to support new product and process development here.

Milgro wished to develop new innovative ‘portion controlled’ family favourite recipes to expand its market reach in the foodservice and hospitality sector. The new recipes included the three main flavours - Original, Flame Grilled Steak and Chinese Salted Chilli, which demonstrate the diversity of the product. They required assistance with recipe engineering, correct nutritional and allergen management.

NWRC Culinary Technical consultant Ciaran Deery provided 30 hours of upskilling support in recipe development using Milgro’s Original, Flame Grilled Steak and Chinese Salted Chilli flavoured crispy onions, sourcing ingredients and flavour trends to create ‘portion controlled’ recipes to extend Milgro’s market reach, development of new food recipes at Foodovation, using the crispy onions to upskill on, allergen and nutritional management and legal labelling information.

On completion of the project the company was able to successfully develop new ‘portion controlled’ family favourite ‘recipes for its crispy onions allowing them to expand its overall market reach.

Conor Nicholl, Milgro’s head of sales and marketing, adds: “When we were drafting our current company strategy, innovation was at the heart of our plans. Whilst we are delighted and proud that our products have been recognised recently, by both Irish Quality Food and Drinks Awards and Great Taste Awards 2022 and securing supply agreements with both S&W Wholesale in Ireland, and CJ Lang in Scotland, we realise and appreciate that in an ever competitive marketplace there is a constant need to self-review.

“Having first met Ciaran at IFEX at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, earlier this year, we were taken by his passion for food, how well he spoke about NWRC, and his undoubted talent.

“Following an initial meeting and seeing the benefits of the InnovateUs programme, we are absolutely delighted with the results. We have started to share the recipes Ciaran has developed with our current customer base, and potential supply partners. The feedback has been amazing. We would most definitely recommend anyone considering a partnership with NWRC Foodovation Centre, to go for it.”