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TheTaste.ie Producer’s Row Spotlight with Taste of Dublin: SuperOat

Oat milk has been on the rise as one of the many plant-based milk options for coffee lovers, and SuperOat are all about making their oat milk some of the best Ireland has to offer. Using minimal ingredients to make a great product is what SuperOat are all about. We had a chat with the owner and founder, David Reilly about his experience setting up his business and all the great things to come.

This producer spotlight is part of our series for the brands that will be highlighted at TheTaste.ie Producer’s Row with Taste of Dublin. These producers will be present during the festival, so make sure to come along and try them out. You can purchase tickets here, and learn more about the Producer’s Row here

SuperOat

Have you always had a great love of food?

Is this a trick question?!

Can you tell me about your own background in the food industry?

2003: Set up Musashi Ltd – a pioneer in sports nutrition within Ireland and the first company to officially supply sports supplements to Irish Rugby, Leinster Rugby, The Dubs and many more.

2014: Set up Plant Based Heroes Ltd – kickstarting the plant-based cheese category in Ireland working with Dunnes, Musgrave, Tesco, Independent retail and food service.

2022: After a long R&D journey working with amazing partners like Food Works, Food Academy, UCD, Enterprise Ireland, Bord Bia, Teagasc and many others, we officially launched SuperOat last September and it’s been a whirlwind ever since.

What inspired you to set up your business? Did you notice a gap in the market?

Working with plant-based cheese for many years we were keen to branch out into plant-based milk. Unable to find any product that delivered on great taste, outstanding nutrition, next level steaming & foaming (for baristas) and genuine sustainability, we naively decided to make plant-based drinks better.

How did you set up the business and how has it been growing over time?

We’ve gone from zero customers in September 2022 to over 250 Cafes & Coffee shops by May 2023.  And we are on track to supply more than 400 locations by the end of our first year.

SuperOat

Is this your first time taking part in Taste of Dublin?

As a business….yes.

Do you have anything special planned for your stand at Taste of Dublin?

We sure do, we have an attention seeking mascot that wants to get people hooked on SuperOat Lattes!

Where do you source the ingredients used to make your product(s)?

We use the best ingredients we can find within Europe.

Can you tell me about some of the benefits associated with your product(s)?

Taste: When independently assessed (by UCD sensory analysis panel) SuperOat Barista outperformed the market leaders (More creamy, less bitter, less astringent)

Nutrition: 50% more protein, 25% less sugar and we are gluten-free too, again comparing to the market leaders.

Performance: Coffee – better steaming and foaming to make excellent latte art, silkier/smoother mouth feel, no dry aftertaste.

Sustainability: SuperOat Barista has been independently assessed and certified with a CO2e of 0.37g which we then offset to zero by partnering with companies like Hometree in Country Clare, helping plant and manage permanent native Irish woodland.

SuperOat

How important has social media been for you in spreading the word?

To be honest, we haven’t engaged on the media or social side much at all, up to this point. Our launch strategy was focused on winning over Baristas and Cafes with a better all-round oat barista. We’ve so many loyal customers that have been instrumental in spreading the word for us, for that, I am forever grateful.

What makes your product unique?

Our SuperOat™ Barista is outperforming the market leaders with:

  1. Dublin Born
  2. Award Winning Taste
  3. Next Level Foaming
  4. Carbon Neutral
  5. Creamier
  6. More Protein
  7. More Oats
  8. Less Sugar (none added)
  9. Gluten-Free
  10. Essential Vitamins & Minerals

Where can people get your product (shops, restaurants?)

Possibly in your favourite cafe, coffee shop, hotel or restaurant. Some examples in Dublin are Bear Market Coffee, Happy Out Cafes, the Merrion and Westbury hotels, and the Ivy Dawson Street.  

SuperOat

What, do you think, are some of the most interesting dishes that have been created with your product? Do you have any favourites?

Specialty coffee oat lattes, flat whites and cappuccinos is where we shine. However, we also see SuperOat used in dairy-free ice cream, milk shakes, dairy-free baking, cold brew coffee, chai lattes and served more and more with Irish tea too.

Are there any other small Irish food producers you admire?

Too many to mention, but some I know personally and admire are Bradys Coffee, Thanks Plants, Nobo and Fiid

What are the biggest challenges you’ve faced since going into business?

COVID had a huge impact on all things food.

What do you feel is your biggest achievement to date with this business?

Our first successful production run was a huge achievement for us. As was winning product innovation of the year at the Free-from Food Awards. However, business growth in our first 6 months exceeded all expectations, so this is the biggest and best, as its real validation.

Could you ever have imagined doing anything else with your life?

Dreamers dream!

What does the future hold for your business?

We have some exciting NPD in the works and also plans underway to launch into some overseas markets.

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Whether you want to learn chef skills from the best, shake your way through a cocktail masterclass, transport yourself to a tapas bar in sunny Spain or find a fellow food lover to feast with, there is plenty to see, do and devour at Taste of Dublin.

TheTaste.ie is now sponsoring the Producer’s Row at Taste of Dublin 2023. The producers featured this year are:

  • Open Hive
  • Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese
  • Ellie’s Kitchen Home Edition
  • Coconut & Moo Moo
  • Stinky & Scorchy
  • Nana’s Tea
  • Dublin Hills Goats Cheese
  • SuperOat
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