Keelings harvest aubergine crop to boost jobs and save food miles

Family-run food producer Keelings has just harvested its first crop of aubergines, effectively saving thousands of air miles versus imports.

Planted in December, the harvesting season will run from March to the end of October with the use of the company’s ultra-modern glasshouses in St Margaret’s, Co Dublin.

Keelings general manager Bruce Bentley said: “Irish aubergines are two days fresher than those coming from Holland, so not only are consumers saving food miles and supporting Irish jobs, but by buying Irish they are also guaranteed fresher produce.

“There are two varieties being grown in the Keelings glasshouse and we estimate that we will be picking four tonnes of Irish aubergines a week. As a result of this initiative, consumers will be able to buy Irish aubergines well into October.”

Keelings has been growing produce since the 1930s. Over the last 35 years, the company’s primary activities have been in growing, sourcing, shipping, marketing and distributing fresh produce from sources around the world to Irish, British and European markets.

Keelings is a 100% Irish-owned business with an annual turnover of €300m and employs more than 1,400 people in Ireland and a total of approximately 2,000 people across the group.