Founder

Hi folks, I’m Áine Ní Bhraoin, the proud creator of all ginger inspired goodies that you see here.

This all came about my desire of being creative and curiosity within the kitchen. I will honestly try to make anything once, if it makes me happy, I keep making it, simple. Though my background wasn’t in food at the time, it was something else creative. I was a Graphic Designer, did all my own branding and packaging, and also an Outdoor Instructor.

This is how I came up with making my own crystallised ginger. I was at the supermarket back in 2016 in Canada. After seeing the crystallised ginger on the shelf I saw my next culinary adventure. To be honest I never thought I’d make it a business. It was just a joy to make, a great treat that I could give to anyone and everyone who would sample it. I just made it as I was curious if what I made would taste the same or would it be better. Then I realised it was leaps and bounds different. More ginger zingy and lingering flavour and heat. Perfect for my outdoor adventures that I was having in the Canadian Rockies.

I returned to Ireland then in 2017 and moved to Wesport, where I had lived before, and worked as a Graphic Designer with Portwest. Happily working away and then finished my contract work and looked for my next position.
That is when the idea started coming into my mind. What other ginger products were out there, I saw stem ginger by Biona in Cafe Rua in Castlebar. Then in Claremorris, I saw a ginger syrup made by Opies. My question was could I create a range that would compete with flavour, quality and profitable.

In 2020, I was laying the foundations to get this baby on the road, but that C word came along and made everything a lot slower to come to fruition. I laid some extra business foundation, such as taking a UCD course in Innovation, Creativity and Entrepreneurship. Seeing the light and the need to upskill in the food industry, I took the fabulous diploma course at UCC in Food Speciality Production. It was just a fabulous course and laid the final blocks to get everything going.

During the UCC course I moved to Kerry in February 2021. I saw the range of food markets and having stayed in the area in the past, I thought it was the right time to make the move. I found an organic food shop that could order in large boxes of organic Peruvian ginger in for me and still doing it to this day.

I started making my crystallised ginger and from that the ginger syrup range came along. I was selling in the lovely markets in Tralee, Dingle and Castlegregory back in the summer of 2021. I submitted my product in with the chance of being accepted for Super Valu’s Food Academy

Starting my business

My obsession with ginger started back in 2016, but my ginger business only came into fruition in 2021. With my fascination of making my own crystallised ginger and developing the texture and mouth experience, this made me explore the commercial process more and developing my own process further. By carrying out taste tests and feedback, I have happily developed a better quality crystallised ginger and in tow my ginger syrup range.

During Covid was when I put the time in to educate myself for running of a business and all the food regulations that I was goign to need to follow. Firstly, I attended the UCD Innovation Academy course in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and realised I need more solid food sector knowledge. I completing the UCC Diploma in Speciality Food Production from 2020 – 2021. Each step helped me to solidify my skills and hone my talents to take on creating this business expansion. It took me through all the microbiology, food safety, commercial kitchen planning and how to market your product. I am so happy that I took that step and all the other marvelous entrepreneurs that I have met along the way blazing a trail.

Sustainable Steps

Organic Peruvian Ginger

The ginger that I source is farmed in harmony with the jungle surroundings of the Peruvian selva alta or high jungle, of the Junín Province. Ginger was brought to Peru back in the late 18th century from China. Peru is now the third largest exporter of ginger.

The farming techniques within this province haven changed very much in hundreds of years, as the methods are still the same just farmers are more knowledgeable the soil. The ginger plants here are intercropped, with other plants, usually coffee plants, which helps to boost biodiversity and better microbiome within the soil.

The Peruvian ginger is a criollo variety and has a far more yellow colour than the Chinese ginger root you see in the supermarket. Organic ginger root in supermarkets tend to comes from Peru or even Brazil.

Raw Cane Sugar

The sugar that I source comes from South America, usually either Columbia or Argentina. The colour of the sugar grains effects the colour of the syrups as well. As I order in bulk size the sugar has low moisture content, so the molasses has been removed.

Packaging options

This was one area that I wanted to make sure what I selected would be reusable after being finished with. I got several tin samples and bottles sizes. The packaging really captures customers eyes as you can see inside the tin and I wanted this. Any small bags that I put my crystallised ginger into are compostable, either at home composting or in brown bins. The bags a sourced through an Irish company in Dublin.