Innovation the name of the game for Crinion

FOUR years ago, I spoke to Co Meath organic operator Des Crinion about his business.

Back then I got the impression that he was one step ahead of the game.

He’d moved from free range egg production to organic, because a cost price squeeze when selling to multiple retailers was making even large egg units difficult to maintain.

He also disliked the lifestyle of large-scale free range production.

“In work terms, I had to upscale to stay free range. My happiest time was when I was at 500 birds, in two 250 lots. Now I wasn’t making a fortune, but I enjoyed it.

“When I upscaled to 1,750 in each shed, I didn’t like it as much.”

The same process that happened with free range eggs happened with organic eggs — upscale to survive and compete with larger and larger operators in the discount retail sector.

Des Crinion’s own farm is 35 acres.

Now, he has diversified again.

So, along with 320 hens reared from day-olds, he milks sheep and goats, to make cheeses and ice cream. These include occasional bespoke ice creams for events. “I grow my own fruit, so I can make gooseberry ice cream. I’ve also made gooseberry and ouzo ice cream for birthdays”.

But there’s more innovation. Des has, along with local organic beef and lamb producer John McDonnell, developed a community food store.

This not-for-profit retail outlet is on Des’s farm, and it is a thought-provoking way to make organic affordable for consumers, while also viable for producers.

The trick is that the retail element is not for profit, but the producers of course are. “We want local people to get our food 15 to 20% cheaper than in the supermarkets. It’s all local jobs that are being supported.”

There is a community element. “If you want to have a thriving community, you have to be part of it, you have to contribute — this is how we are contributing”.

The local transition towns movement, a globally focused community and sustainability initiative, have helped out with some of the process and paperwork involved in establishing the community food store.

“They have done it for produce only, not for cash,” says Des.

The unit is kitted out to a high spec, so the local environmental health officer was very supportive, according to Crinion.

Launching this Sunday, the community food store will open on Fridays and Saturdays.

There are plans to run box schemes and supply local restaurants.

Already, the garden centre next door is supportive and involved, and a local butcher in Donabate is cutting the meat to their preferences.

“We are all still farmers, so we need time to farm,” says Des. The farmers will rotate who stays in-store to deal with the customers. This seems like a workable compromise, as the customer will always have a farmer to deal with who knows the produce, staffing costs are kept down, and the farmers’ time is not all taken up with retail.

Already, other local producers have gotten involved. Des has leased five of his eight polytunnels to a local grower to produce organic vegetables. Producers of pork, sourdough bread, and coffee roasters are also participating.

“Once what they are doing fits in with the overall ethos of the place, we’ll welcome people in,” he says. “We want to really reduce costs for the shoppers, so we’d be encouraging people to minimise fancy packaging, but still retain the necessary information on the labels.”

Interestingly, all involved are certified organic.

While this was never a prerequisite, it is often the case that organic producers tend to try work co-operatively. Or, in this case, with co-opetition, the food industry word for a healthy blend of sharing some areas and competing in other areas.

The Slane Food Circle’s community food store opens Sunday.

For more information, email to [e-mail] or call 087-2258060.