Mary-Ellen’s Meadow to hit Lidl shelves

Rose Carolan is living proof that following your childhood passions with the right amount of determination can lead to a successful career.

The Tierworker woman’s business ‘Mary Ellen’s Meadow’ has been accepted for the LIDL Kickstart Development Programme and will hit the shelves next Thursday (September 11). Wild Soft Drinks Elderflower and Willowherb will be available for all LIDL customers to enjoy.

Meanwhile, Rose was thrilled when she got news that she had been accepted for the programme. The idea that seeded in her mind, while out foraging with her late aunt as a child, is now gaining national recognition.

“The idea stemmed going back to my childhood,” Rose explains to the Celt.

The Cavan woman was raised on a farm and as a child she spent most of her time outside.

“I was just always fascinated by all the variety of different grasses, flowers, herbs, berries, everything.”

She recalls trips to Auntie Mary-Ellen with great fondness; as a young girl she was intrigued by her aunt’s knowledge of the outdoors.

“When we would be visiting, she used to talk about everything from nature and how beneficial it was for people.”

“As a child, because I was so fascinated, that was of great interest to me.”

She also had a neighbour who was a herbalist of his time and she often watched how his remedies cured sick animals. Upon moving to France later in life, Rose saw the older generation there using old herb remedies, similar to what she had witnessed at home.

In 2016, all of these thoughts and memories formed her business idea. She began making cordials that people could dilute at home. She took her produce to farmers markets and then shops, when she realised that people wanted a more ‘on the go’ type of drink. Rose canned her handpicked produce into a wonderful sparkling drink.

“They’re going really well, people do really like them,” Rose explains.

The ingredients in her products have all been foraged locally “up the field and over on the Lough an Lea mountain”, about which Rose is most proud. She believes this is what makes her drinks stand out from others currently on the market.

“Everything that’s in the drink is provided by nature, they are all natural Botanics that you will find outside growing.”

For those who are conscious of their health and the environment, Rose says the drinks are ideal as they have “very little” carbon miles, meaning they are also sustainable.

“Nothing is cultivated actually, it’s just all from the wild.”

She now looks forward to the next phase of her business with Lidl, with hopes of expansion and employing staff in the future.

“I wanted to expand the business and grow on what I do already,” she told the Celt.

“This opportunity now on the Kickstart programme is just fantastic because it really shows you and helps you along the path of expanding.”

Now in its ninth year, Lidl Ireland’s Kickstart programme is supported by Bord Bia and aims to support small and medium-sized local producers to grow their brand, build their supply and reach new customer audiences. Kickstart suppliers also benefit from a free six-month development programme delivered by industry experts which covers key disciplines such as quality control, supply chain management, branding and distribution.