Three big stars of Cork’s hugely important food and drink sector are about to become very big in Eastern Europe – thanks to a big deal that will see them go into hundreds of Tesco stores.
The multi-national chain will sell products from the three producers in Cork City and West Cork in the stores in the UK, Czechia, Hungary, and Slovakia under the agreement that should allow them to expand production and future proof their businesses.
There are four companies in the new Tesco deal – the chain already sells more than €900m worth of Irish products outisde of Ireland every year – and three of those companies are from the nation’s number one region for innovative food and drink production, Cork.
The companies are Bantry’s Keohane Seafood (they also have a processing facility in Cork City on the Kinsale Road), Bandon Vale (of Bandon) and award-winning jam makers Folláin of Ballyvourney close by the Cork-Kerry border.
Tesco Ireland today announced €10million in new contract wins for four Irish suppliers into its UK and Central European (CE) businesses – the store giant is the world’s largest retail buyer of Irish food and drink, buying approximately €1.6 billion worth of Irish products annually, highlighting the key role Irish suppliers play across the entire Tesco Group.
The past year has already seen a significant increase in the presence of several leading Irish suppliers – including Folláin, Keohane Seafoods, Killowen Farm and Bandon Vale in hundreds of EU and UK stores. All four produce premium products for Tesco own brand.
Tesco says their success abroad has been “driven by a combination of quality, innovation and growing appetite among UK and Central European customers for Irish food. This growth is supporting suppliers to scale sustainably and helping to support local employment across Ireland.”
Cork-based preserves producer Folláin has expanded its international presence fourfold in the past year, growing from 180 to 750 Tesco stores across the Group, including new listings in Central Europe.
Cork supplier Keohane Seafoods has also continued to grow its overseas footprint, with its Tesco Finest seafood range now stocked in more than 500 Tesco stores across the UK, reflecting strong demand for the product in overseas markets.
Michael Keohane and his sons Colman and Brian(Image: Gerard McCarthy)
Killowen Farm, the Wexford-based yoghurt producer, has seen strong momentum in the UK market, with five of its Tesco Finest yoghurts now available in 650 UK stores following their launch in September 2025.
Meanwhile, Cork cheese producer Bandon Vale has expanded beyond Ireland into Central Europe, now supplying 750 Tesco stores across the Group, including in Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary. Its success highlights the enduring international appeal of Irish dairy products.
“Irish suppliers are playing an increasingly important role in bringing high quality Irish food to customers across the UK and Europe,” said Tesco Ireland CEO Geoff Byrne. “Their success reflects the strength of Ireland’s food industry and our shared ambition to help Irish producers grow confidently in international markets. As the world’s biggest retail buyer of Irish food and drink, we’re proud to champion Irish products to consumers at home and overseas”
Jim O’Toole, CEO, Bord Bia commented: “The success of Tesco Ireland suppliers across the UK and Central Europe is a testament to the dedication, innovation, and world-class standards that define Ireland’s agri-food sector. At Bord Bia, we are proud to bring Ireland’s outstanding food, drink, and horticulture produce to markets around the world. These achievements reflect Ireland’s growing global reputation and highlight the strength of the partnerships that continue to drive sustainable growth for Irish food and drink internationally.”