HISTORY
With nearly a century of expertise, Irwin’s Bakery has passed on from generation to generation their love of bread. Irwin’s is proud to be Northern Ireland’s biggest independent bakery!!!
1912: Irwin's was established in the Co. Armagh town of Portadown, by the grandfather of the existing joint owners, as a grocery retailer. W.D. Irwin's wife and sister-in-law were talented home-bakers, who began to bake cakes and bakery items for the shop. Soon additional bakers were employed to cope with the increasing trade. In 1963, Irwin’s Bakery launched Nutty Krust, their distinctive brand of plain or batch bread which has gone on to become Northern Ireland's best loved grocery brands. 1978: With increased success, the company needed new premises and installed their first automatic bread plant - in just over 20 years volume of pan bread (large bread) has been built up to nearly seven million Irwin's pan loaves a year. 1990: Was marked by the purchase of McCaldin's Bakery in Monaghan. Irwin's embarked on an ambitious export programme, making their first export trip to USA. 1992: Irwin's brand is advertised on TV for the first time 1994: Irwin's decide to move to a 100,000 sq-ft state of the art bakery located on a Greenfield site on the outskirts of Portadown 1996: Irwin's bought McCann's, the Newry based bakery. Irwin’s brand launched into the UK multiple sectors with a range of soda and fruited breads. 1998: Irwin's embarked on one of Northern Ireland's most ambitious re-branding exercises in recent years. As well as the introduction of a new corporate identity, 48 products were repackaged and 12 new products introduced. 2000: Irwin's continue to innovate with the fortification of our white pan bread (large bread) with calcium and folic acid - the first Irish bakery to do so. 2002: Irwin’s launch Ireland’s first celebrity chef range, the ‘Rankin Selection’. Irwin's celebrate it's 90th birthday 2003/4: Nutty Krust celebrates it's 40th birthday and gets a fantastic new look 2005: New low GI-loaf launched. This is the first bread to be classified as low-GI in NI. 2006: Irwin’s Bakery extends their plan of expansion by purchasing Lisburn-based cake and pastry company, Howell House. After 2 years of research, Irwin's launches Guinness Wholegrain Bread made with 17% real Guinness 2007: An extension of Rankin Selection range with new additions of luxurious cakes and biscuits. Nutty Krust is declared as most iconic brand over the last 10 years as voted by Tesco Northern Ireland customers. |
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