S3 Ep 4: Johnny Flahavan – Not your Run of the Mill Family Business

Food Matters

Flahavans is one of Ireland’s most iconic family businesses. Having milled locally-grown oats in Co Waterford for almost 250 years, the family has built the Flahavans brand over seven generations and it is now synonymous with porridge and other nutritious oat-based foods. In recent years, Flahavans has invested heavily in expanding the product range, which now includes oat milk, flapjacks, mueslis and granolas.
In this episode of Food Matters, Mick Kelly meets family member Johnny Flahavan, who has recently returned home from London to raise his family in Kilmacthomas and, along with his siblings, take over the running of Flahavans. They chat about:

· The history of Flahavans and the important role it has played in the community for over two centuries
· The innovation that the company has always shown in energy generation, from being powered by the River Mahon to using oat husks as a fuel source
· The dynamics of being part of a seven-generation family business and the pressures of taking over the operations
· Why oats play a vital role in food sustainability
· Johnny’s plans for growing the Flahavan’s brand and product range
GIY are proud to align our mission, vision and impact with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In response to the urgency of the climate crisis, and in line with the UN Decade of Action, our ambition at GIY is to inspire 100 million people around the world to grow some of their own food by 2030.

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