Ballymaloe Foods and MamaBear Foods join forces as Cork business women team up.

press release

CORK BUSINESS WOMEN TEAM UP 

TO OFFER HEALTHY FOODS FOR IRISH FAMILIES

Ballymaloe Foods and MamaBear Foods join forces

Sisters Rosaleen (left) and Maxine Hyde of Ballymaloe Foods - celebrating the news with

MamaBear's Loretta Kennedy (right)

Ballymaloe Foods has successfully completed its first business acquisition, by acquiring MamaBear Foods. The deal was finalised by sisters Maxine and Rosaleen Hyde of Ballymaloe Foods, and Loretta Kennedy, the founder of MamaBear Foods.

MamaBear Foods produces a range of healthy ketchups and pasta sauces for the family while Ballymaloe Foods is famous for its relish and award-winning condiments. The three mums will work together to grow the MamaBear Foods business and expand the range of healthy and family-friendly products. 

Maxine Hyde, co-director of Ballymaloe Foods said: “As mums with young families we are concerned about the lack of Irish made, healthy snack and food options for young children. We love Loretta's concept and existing products and decided we would like to be a part of the next chapter of MamaBear foods. We really look forward to working with Loretta.”

 

Owner of MamaBear Foods, Loretta Kennedy said: “From day one we have been about using only the best natural ingredients, keeping the sugar content down, using recyclable packaging and adding in helpful ingredients like prebiotic fibre. We started this business from my kitchen in Cork, just like Yasmin Hyde did with Ballymaloe Foods. We are delighted to join the Ballymaloe Foods company and to grow our brand with the wonderful team there.”

Loretta set up MamaBear Foods in Cork in 2018 when she found there were no healthy ketchups on the market in Ireland, so she began making her own. The Cork based mum-of-three then launched the reduced sugar and gut-friendly ketchup and it has proven to be very popular with parents looking for healthier alternatives for their families. 

MamaBear Foods is already available in many Irish supermarkets including SuperValu, Dunnes Stores and Aldi. The brand will remain the same while Ballymaloe Foods will help to promote the MamaBear Foods business and grow the brand nationally. Loretta will join Ballymaloe Foods as part of the venture.

Ballymaloe Foods worked with Paul O’Connell in Quintas Accountancy and Sinead McNamara in Fitzgerald’s Legal and Advisory to complete the deal.