Monday 28 December 2009

Many happy turnovers, peas and good will to all our customers

Well it's that time of year again. That no-mans land of a week between Christmas and New Year. No sooner have we finished indulging, bulging and generally spoiling ourselves when suddenly another reason to be cheerful pops up on December's horizon.

I am referring of course to that hardy perennial, New Year's Eve.
People approach New Years Eve in a variety of different ways. Some like to get dressed up and pack into hotel ballrooms with all you can eat buffets, unlimited champagne, paper hats with Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive providing the much needed optimism for the New Year ahead. Across the world people will celebrate New Year/Sylvester with Fondue, Raclette, Hot Stone, Marinated Herrings, Oil Balls, Oil Balls!!?, Hopping Johns, Green Lentils and other strange culinary delights and will listen /dance to, you've guessed it, I Will Survive.

I asked the boss what he got up to on New Years Eve." Well Mr. Crab" he responded, " My wife and I will have some friends over and generally we will eat stuffed pork. My wife is a wonderful cook you understand" he said proudly. "At midnight we will drink a toast to the New Year and sing Auld Lang Syne". "Personally" he continued, "I find New Year's Eve a lonely time and I always privately thank the Lord that I am still around and healthy, and that my family and I have sufficient." " Then " he continued, "as soon as I hear the first verse of I Will Survive, I announce to the guests that it's time I went to bed and let them all go home."

How can I follow that you might ask. Simply by wishing all our customers, partners and friends a very happy, successful and peaceful New Year and reminding us all to spare a thought for the less fortunate.

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Wednesday 16 December 2009

The pinky one's the skimmed

Everybody has their own particular favorite type of milk, Some like the skimmed stuff others the fortified. Those of us who are struggling with our circumference opt for the low fat variety while the skinny ones indulge in the full fat. It's a good job that the colors of the packs tell us the difference between the different grades of milk.


People like my granny, who just loves a glass of skimmed every morning (before she puts in her teeth) need that little colour coded help to make sure they buy the right one.

When I asked her the other day if she found the different colours for the different milks helpful, she said she did. "The pinky one's the skimmed" she beamed, eager to show that despite my worries her eyes were still in fine fettle. Now as I mentioned before the granny is a loyal supporter of the Applegreen brand. I asked her if she had ever made a mistake and bought the wrong one " I always look for that cute little green apple with the leaf " says she "and the picture of that exceptionally good looking cow. Sure you would want to be as blind as Ray Charles (she's a big fan) not to recognize Applegreen milk" says she. "what with the apple and the cow and to top it off the price. Sure it's the best value in the bloody shop" says she. "Any eejit can spot great value, a cow and an apple".

As I left I heard the needle bounce across the first verse of Hit the Road Jack, one of her favorite Ray Charles tracks.
There's no flies on my Granny, she can spot a bargain from 50 meters.

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Thursday 10 December 2009

Something about this picket that's just not cricket

I was listening to Joe Duffy's Liveline a few days ago, the milk debate was raging. I was very proud of the fact that the new Applegreen own brand milk is both farmed and processed in the Republic of Ireland. I know that in the case of some of our competitors this is not true. But it does seem a little difficult to get to the facts in this debate. It seems it is not enough that your milk is farmed and produced in the Republic of Ireland. Nor is it enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with that icon of Irish sport Paul O' Connell and wave the National Dairy Council's brand proudly.


I was just telling the boss the other day how proud I was of his support of the Irish milk farmers when he informed me of his disappointment to hear that farmers were picketing our stores in Wicklow and Wexford. Well you could have beaten me senseless with a feather when I heard that. As Tigger from Winnie the Pooh says, I never heard anything so ridicerus in my life!

However, the boss stopped, drew himself up to his full height and said "Don't blame the unfortunate milk farmers Mr. Crab, it's not their fault. In fact I had the staff send them out some tea and coffee, it was a wet and miserable evening for picketing."
"No Mr. Crab ' he went on (as he is inclined to do) " It's not the farmers, there is a more sinister mixture of big business and politics afoot here, and I will do all in my power to make it transparently obvious to everyone, the truth in this matter."

With that he gave a little hop and hurried off muttering to himself. Sometimes I think the boss should be less of a gentleman and play dirty, but I have to admit, cranky and all as he is, he is a man of principle.

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