Marks & Spencer is proud to partner with Ballymakenny Farm, a family-run grower near Drogheda, Co. Louth, to bring customers across Ireland a stunning range of locally grown heritage potato varieties.
Ballymakenny Farm is run by husband-and-wife team David and Maria Flynn, with their son Daniel hoping to continue the family tradition in the future. David is a third-generation farmer, while Maria, originally from Drogheda, left for a finance career in London before returning home, switching careers, and falling in love with farming.
The Heritage Irish Potatoes will be stocked on M&S shelves this September, offering customers a colourful alternative to the traditional white potato – a venture inspired by Maria’s desire to try something different. Every bag is harvested, picked, and packed on the farm, with each bag hand-stamped by David.
“Introducing gourmet heritage potatoes gave us purpose. For small independent farms to be sustainable, we have to do something a bit different, exciting, and niche. It’s wonderful to know our heritage potatoes will soon be on M&S shelves – it’s a proud moment for our family,” says Maria.
Maria’s move into heritage varieties began after growing commercial Rooster potatoes on a large scale alongside David. “I starting to fall out of love with conventional farming – it just wasn’t what I wanted to do anymore,” she explains.
That shift in perspective led Maria to experiment with distinctive varieties, starting with the striking purple Violetta potato. What began as a passion project quickly grew into a thriving business, winning over some of Ireland’s top chefs and carving out a niche in the hospitality sector.
As demand from restaurants soared, Ballymakenny scaled back commercial Rooster production to focus on their heritage range.
“We were often asked where people can buy our potatoes, but because we supplied hospitality, the public simply couldn’t get them. When M&S approached us, it felt like a no-brainer – with M&S’s stores across Ireland, we can finally give our customers what they’ve been asking for.”
The M&S launch will begin with the Purple Rain potato, with other varieties – including Pink Fir Apple, Red Emmalie, Mayan Gold, and Lily Rose – rotating throughout the season.
Shaun Doherty, Senior Agronomist at M&S, said: “We’re always looking to offer customers something special, and Ballymakenny Heritage Potatoes are exactly that. Working with Ballmakenny farms allow us to help in growing the future by preserving the past and introducing that bit of magic that our customers expect. Maria and David’s commitment to quality and innovation impressed us immediately. Their selection of unique potatoes varieties for taste and unique qualities over commercial yield. We’re excited to offer these to our customers and encourage everyone to explore the rich flavours and stories behind each potato.”
This launch marks an exciting new milestone for Ballymakenny Farm, bringing their much-loved heritage potatoes to home cooks across Ireland. Customers can find the range in all 16 M&S stores across Ireland from this week, with all varieties grown, harvested, and packed on Ballymakenny Farm.
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For further information, please contact:
Sasha Jeffrey or Naomi Finnegan at ASG
Tel: 07801 254703
Email: [email protected] / [email protected]