Preserve the quality: Award-winning firm finds niche online

Founder of jam and chutney company taught to bake by her mother-in-law

Crossogue Preserves in Ballycahill, Co Tipperary which is owned and run by Veronical Molloy is now selling its jams and chutneys online. Picture: John D Kelly.  

With over 60 Great Taste awards under its belt, Crossogue Preserves in Tipperary has seen the demand for its delicious handmade jams and chutneys soar since the Covid-19 pandemic struck back in March.

The restrictions brought about by the pandemic saw Veronica Molloy — who runs the enterprise — take stock of things and a new online store has seen customers from across Ireland and the UK dashing to purchase the award winning produce like never before.

The family-run business is also stocked by purveyors of fine foods throughout Ireland as well as exporting to a small number of international select food stores, and the a range that is now available on the website, means the highly-regarded Irish produce is available to jam and chutney lovers across the globe.

It’s 25 years ago since Veronica set up the business at the family farm in a picturesque part of Tipperary that is famous for its fertile land and the food it produces.

Originally from Africa, Veronica was nursing in the UK when she met Anthony Molloy.

Veronica Molloy of Crossogue Preserves with her husband Tony on their farm at Ballycahill, Co Tipperary. Picture: John D Kelly.  

Her mother was from the area and Veronica made regular visits, so it’s perhaps not that surprising that she met the love of her life — they are married for 50 years now with six children and lots of grandchildren — and moved into the homestead after she and Anthony married.

But, it was her mother-in-law who sowed the seeds for what was to become a unique and delicious homemade preserve business that would reach across the globe.

“My mother-in-law taught me how to cook, bake and produce jams and preserves,” Veronica told the Irish Examiner.

I knew nothing about cooking.

“I started making jams, entering them in competitions and winning, and then local shops asked me if I’d make jams for them.” And that, adds Veronica, “is how it all began”.

While she grew most of the ingredients herself in the early days, the business grew and now Veronica sources as much Irish produce as she can for her jams and chutneys. The oranges for the marmalade are organic and come from Spain.

And, her efforts have been rewarded, particularly over the last 20 years with over 60 Great Taste Awards for the company.

“We have also received numerous awards from Blas na hÉireann and the World’s Original Marmalade Awards,” she added.

“Awards give us the reassurance that our products are achieving the levels that we expect from all our range on an ongoing basis. An example would be our Damson and Port Jelly that won Triple Gold at the 2016 Great Taste Awards.” 

Meanwhile, the products at Crossogue Preserves in Tipperary are hand made in small batches in a kitchen on the farm, with nothing added to natural ingredients except lots of time and enthusiasm.

“While we can no longer produce all the ingredients on the farm, we carefully source the best quality ingredients locally and then further afield,” continued Veronica.

“The other element that has changed over the years is the wonderful team that has grown around me to meet the growth in demand.” She now has eight people working for her with over 140 different products on the market including Strawberry & Champagne Jam, Gin Marmalade and Gooseberry spread.

“Covid-19 made us focus on the online side of the business which we hadn’t done a lot of to be honest with you,” she continued.

“A lot of the businesses and hotels that we were supplying closed down at the beginning of Covid-19 and that impacted us so we began to concentrate on the online side of the business.

“We have a beautiful shop online now that allows customers to purchase wonderful gifts and gift boxes and it is going very well for us.

For us, Covid-19 brought new opportunities with the online side of things.

“Because people were in lockdown and confined to their homes, they became more interested in locally produced good food.” 

Meanwhile, the awards just keep flooding in.

“We won a gold award in this year’s Great Taste Awards for our Gooseberry spread and that was a terrific boost to the business. Our Gin Marmalade also won an award and that gave us a leg up also during Covid-19. In fact it boosted all the team.

“I have a brilliant team of girls here; everyone helps each other; we have a wonderful purpose built jam kitchen here that is surrounded by the most beautiful scenery.” 

Veronica also recalled how it all began.

“We started out with mixed farming — my husband had a dairy herd and sheep, and we grew crops. My husband, Tony was a wonderful sheep farmer. He had been to New Zealand and had learned all about that side of farming. He is retired now and our son has the farm and runs an equestrian centre on the land.

“People come from all over the world to ride here — they say in the farmhouse and enjoy the wonderful food while they are here.

"The Tipperary Food Producers group is a wonderful support to us. When I first started out the Enterprise Board at the time was great and so was Bord Bia.

"I had never done business before and I had to learn everything and both of those organisations were there to help me every step of the way. I love thinking up new recipes and we have some wonderfully innovative ones like Blackcurrant and Irish Stout.”