It was 1991 when I first picked blackberries with my Aunty Anne and a gang of cousins down a country lane in Navan one autumn afternoon. I watched as our bounty was hauled into what seemed like massive saucepans in her kitchen, and turned into jars upon jars of jam. 

It was nearly 20 years later in 2010 when I started making jam as a business venture (brought about by my redundancy during the recession) and Big Red Kitchen was born. The ethos was simple; to make tasty preserves the old-fashioned way, using quality ingredients and local fruit where possible.  I started selling my products at farmers markets and craft fairs, and over the years expanded to supply stockists all over Ireland and beyond. 

Even though the business has grown, the products are still made in my home kitchen with the same core values at the heart of everything we do.  Our products have won numerous awards and accolades over the past decade, which I think is a testament to the quality of the raw ingredients we use, and the dedication of the small team of people who work alongside me to carefully handcraft our range.