Declan O’Donoghue, owner of Erne Larder recently completed his first order to the US for his jams, relishes and chutney. This week due to popular demand a second order is on its way to America. 

The local businessman teamed up with a New York based firm Over Th’Eire. 

“The people that own the business Over Th’Eire are Enniskillen natives, Steph and Gerard McCrory. They were searching through Facebook to find local Irish producers and someone mentioned Erne Larder. Steph got in contact with me and the rest is history I suppose.” 

The quirky firm specialise in Irish foods with a particular aim at the huge Irish and Scotch Irish communities in key centres such as New York, Boston and Philadelphia. 

Mr O’Donoghue explained that the distribution of his products is taken care of by Craic Foods, based in Craigavon. While 2020 was challenging for businesses in many ways Mr O’Donoghue said for Erne Larder it was a busy year with the US deal the icing on the cake. 

“Usually from May through to Christmas there is always something happening, but it just went boom around April. October, November and December was absolutely bananas, I did the equivalent to last years business in six weeks I was that busy.” 

In the face of tightening restrictions which hit the food service industry badly Mr O’Donoghue recorded soaring online and retail sales. “In terms of online sales there was about four times as many packages going out weekly, it was just crazy,” he said.

Mr O’Donoghue is attributing some of the firms success to the brand becoming well established in the market. 

“This will be our fifth year in business and I hope to keep pushing the business as much as I can. I also want to diversify, I’ve been speaking to a few other producers from Northern Ireland and I want to use their expertise and do own brand stuff,” he said, hinting at new products in the pipeline. 

To keep up to date with all the latest product launches visit social media platforms, Erne Larder Ltd, website ernelarder.com.