The Cotter family’s gluten-free porridge, produced in Castletownroche, has earned a spot in Lidl Ireland’s Kickstart Supplier Development Programme, which launched in stores nationwide recently. The initiative showcases the very best of Irish-made artisanal produce, with 45 new products from more than 25 local producers hitting shelves.
Speaking to Ireland AM on Virgin Media, Billy Cotter explained how the product has helped the family farm diversify and stay relevant. “It is the best porridge in the world in my opinion, I’m a little biased,” he said. The family-run enterprise aimed to create a sustainable product that would secure the future of farming.
Billy and his brother Bernard, who run a mixed livestock and tillage farm in Castletownroche, Co. Cork, transformed part of their farm to accommodate a porridge mill, establishing a full field-to-spoon operation. “We got rid of the old cattle shed and set up our own mill,” Billy said. “It took a bit of science, but it’s up and running. It’s a process, but it’s exceptionally sustainable.”
The oats for the gluten-free porridge are grown, milled, and packed entirely on the Cotter family farm, creating local employment and giving them full control over the product. “Farming is always changing. The sectors we’re in are vulnerable, so we have to stay relevant,” Billy added.
The Kickstart programme has been a game-changer for the Cotters. “It’s a huge opportunity and life-changing. Lidl has been a fabulous organisation to work with, and now 1.5 million people will get to see our products in stores,” he said.
Among hundreds of submissions from across Ireland, the Cotters’ Gluten-Free Porridge was selected as part of Lidl’s carefully curated collection, giving shoppers a taste of locally made, high-quality produce.
