By Business & Finance 
Pictured: Irene Queally, founder of Pip & Pear.
In our Ones to Watch section, we highlight some of the top movers and shakers in Ireland. This week we feature Pip & Pear.
What is it?
Pip & Pear Chilled Baby Food is a natural and wholesome range of dishes catering for babies and toddlers from five months+ up to three years. The range is gently cooked using Irish Bord Bia approved meat and poultry, organic fruit and vegetables and contains no added salt, sugar or additives. Each pot of Pip & Pear contains up to two of a baby’s five-a-day fruit and veg portions, offering time-pressed parents a guilt free alternative to their own home cooking.
Who’s behind it?
Pip & Pear was founded by Irene Queally. Irene is a mother of two and is passionate about feeding her children natural and wholesome food. Whilst Irene was weaning and batch cooking for her own children, she began to study the baby food market. Irene questioned why there wasn’t a range available that was natural, great tasting and without a shelf life of one year and over. A successful trial in Irene and her husband Bill’s restaurant, No.9 Café in Waterford, led to parents traveling to their restaurant from all over the South East to stock up on Irene’s guilt free meals for baby. This response proved there was a large demand for a baby food range that is just like homemade and three and a half years later, Pip & Pear is a multi-award winning range with availability throughout Ireland and exciting prospects for the near future.
How is it funded?
Pip & Pear is self-funded relying on on its own revenue. The business has received valuable training, support and grant aid from the Waterford Local Enterprise Office, Bord Bia and InterTrade Ireland.
Future plans?
The Pip & Pear range is currently available in Tesco stores nationwide along with selected Dunnes Stores, Eurospar and SuperValu stores and has also created a chilled range for Aldi under their Mamia brand. The team are constantly researching the market, lifestyle trends and reacting to the demands of parents ensuring to always offer the highest quality products thus giving parents a healthier and convenient option.
The year 2019 will see Pip & Pear exporting into three European markets and also the launch of their natural snack range for toddlers and older children.
