Spilling The Cool Beans On Tasty Business

Back in the day, beanz in Ireland meant either those baked in tomato sauce from the company who promised us 57 varieties but only appeared to offer one (that always puzzled the young Gerard), or their homegrown equivalent served up by the lovable bachelor twins, Beany & Barney. But whatever way you dressed them up, baked beans struggled to jump up from the bottom of the food chain.

Not so surprising then that in the Tannam household at least, beans on toast was seen as something of a poor man's choice, something to keep the wolf from the door until the larder was stocked with real food again.

The Beaning Of Life (or The Life Of Beans!)

Now thanks to the efforts of our Kickstart Your Business guest, Isolde Johnson, beanz meanz something entirely different and much more adventurous. Isolde and her business partner Sarah O'Connor, have set up Cool Beans, a food company that introduces an even more nutritious, tastier bean to the Irish market. With flavours including original tomato, smokey and chilli, Cool Beans' meal in a pot are reinventing beans for a whole new generation. 

Eeny, Beany, Miney, More

Gerard and George applauded the eye-catching, immediate design of the Cool Beans packaging, which really does a great job in jumping off the shelf in the cool fridge at Supervalus across Ireland.

Gerard also remarked on how Cool Beans seem to have natural appeal to fitness enthusiasts who are particularly fulsome in their praise of this ready steady go meal. Smart brands typically find a core niche from which to grow their market, and fitness enthusiasts would seem to fit the bill for Sarah and Isolde.

Over To You

What more can Isolde and Sarah do to become the bean-all and end-all of the ready-meal market? Listen back to Isolde on Kickstart Your Business and let us know what you suggest.

We'd love to hear from you.

Kickstart Your Business is broadcast live on The Right Hook on Newstalk 106 in Ireland every Thursday at 6.15pm, and is available to listen to on Playback immediately afterwards.