Cloughbane Farm launches children’s meals in Aldi
Food NI member Cloughbane Farm is now supplying its recently launched ‘Cloughbane Little Farm’ range of children’s meals to Aldi Ireland.
The range, specifically designed for children, will be launched in 67 Aldi stores across the Republic of Ireland with plans to roll out to remaining stores in 2019.
Based on a family farm near Pomeroy in county Tyrone, Cloughbane is an award winning manufacturer of a range of convenience foods especially pies.
The company describes the deal as “a progressive first step for Aldi into the children’s ready meal market”.
Lorna Robinson, managing director of Cloughbane, says: “We are very excited to play a major by offering a range of high-quality children’s meals using local ingredients, which do not compromise on taste or nutrition while still offering the convenience of being ready in minutes.”
It was becoming a granny that reminded Lorna, how hard it can be for busy parents – and grandparents, to give their child healthy, nutritious meals. So Cloughbane developed the range with this in mind; sourcing the best local ingredients, including vegetables within the meals and also designing packs that fit with our farming ethos and are visually appealing to children.
“The meals have also been rigorously tested throughout the development process and we are delighted with the result. Independent sensory analysis compared Cloughbane Little Farm products to other market leaders in children’s meals and the results show that panellists preferred the taste, appearance and texture of our range in every instance.
“As parents and grandparents ourselves, we appreciate the importance of healthy balanced food is for young children, so these results are extremely important to us.
“We are proud to have created a range that helps busy families, care for their children health and at the same time having more time for fun.”
The company, established in 2002, on a 180-acre family farm owned and run by Sam and Lorna Robinson and their sons, is now among the most successful and progressive farm diversification businesses in Northern Ireland. It draws its meat, mostly from Aberdeen Angus and Limousin cattle, raised on rich pastures in county Tyrone.
