The Glen Aine Foods Story
The Glen Aine Foods company began life in a local butcher shop in Hospital, Co Limerick, in 1985. The product quality and taste soon drew a large following, resulting in the business setting up a purpose built premises in 2000. Demand for the Glen Aine product range continued to expand, leading to the building of a completely new premises in 2011; this new premises has received a BRC ‘AA’ accreditation. Glen Aine has been a wholly owned subsidiary of West Cork based Lisavaird Co-operative Creamery Ltd since 2009. We now employ in the region of 70 people from the local community and produce approximately 40 tonnes of cooked ham and beef every week.
Limerick – An International Reputation for Quality Ham
It is symbolic that Glen Aine Foods originated in Limerick, which has a rich tradition for producing top quality ham and bacon products. Limerick was famously nicknamed Pigtown in the 1900’s as it had four bacon factories operating in the heart of the city, playing a vital role in the economic and social life of the city. Throughout the 1900’s, the bacon and ham industry provided employment for thousands of families, linking the city and the surrounding county in the production of bacon and ham products. The tradition of Limerick ham still resonates in the memories of the citizens and former workers in the city through the food culture that arose, the story of the pork butchers, the pig buyers and the sounds of the city with factory horns signalling the call to work.
During this time, Limerick built an international reputation for the quality of its ham and bacon produce, a reputation that it still enjoys today. Historically, the market for cooked meats was in bulk product, that was then sliced in the corner shop by the local butcher or shop keeper. While the market for bulk ham still exists, over time, the demand for ready sliced/food to go market grew. To cater for this ever-changing market, our meat is cooked and prepared in a variety of formats including bulk, sliced and diced. We offer a great deal of flexibility to our customers, and can therefore meet their needs regardless of the format they require.
100% Traceability
Ensuring full traceability of our produce from farm to fork is something we are very passionate about at Glen Aine. Every product sold can be traced back to the animal of origin – without exception. We are also proud members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme.
“The suppliers we
work with, and the provenance of our produce,
are an integral part of our story”
A Selection of our Awards
We have received numerous awards for our products, especially our Spice Beef which has won awards in both the Great Tastes Awards and Blas na hEireann.
