How my Bewley's Explore Java Coffee has "Love Irish Food" Sticker

I purchased the Bewley's Explore Java coffee purely because it was the strongest one of the two the local shop had -- both variations of Bewley's coffee. I laughed when I saw the 'Love Irish Food' sticker as I know it's because the product is processed in Ireland so it can use the sticker, but the irony of it is just too funny and points out what many people don't realise. So much of what is called an Irish product is only so because it was processed here -- like processed fish and other meats where the actual meat comes from another country but the product is processed here and gets to be 'Irish'.

From the Love Irish Food website, http://www.loveirishfood.ie/:

"The vision of Love Irish Food is to help you make informed choices about buying Irish manufactured food and drinks. Our overall aim is to safeguard the future of food and drink manufacturing in Ireland."

and

Love Irish Food Membership Criteria

What is an Irish Brand?

Made in Ireland using local ingredients where available...

Asking what is an Irish Brand is like asking what makes someone Irish, there are legal criteria and there are personal criteria. When making shopping choices, it's personal criteria that count.

It's nice to know when a product is Irish or not - especially for those that really want to support Irish businesses, but I think for many the point is to support local growers and smaller producers and not the bigger companies, Irish or not. So like with eggs, perhaps there should be a bit more information about 'how Irish' the product is. Are the ingredients', or at least main ingredients', origins in Ireland? If not, what is the Irish connection.

There is a debate as to whether this is honourable nationalism, good businesses -- or maybe bad business -- or outright exclusionism.

Does Fyffes put such stickers on the bananas? Like coffee, it's pretty obvious that they don't originate in Ireland -- and we have no choice but to purchase bananas that originate outside this country. I do think it's interesting that many of the bananas eaten in the world come via Ireland, because Fyffes is one the world's largest exporters of bananas. They important them into Ireland and export around the world. Click to see an interesting article on the banana trade and Fyffes involvement with the local unions. Love this article on Wiki Answers that states: "Believe it or not Ireland is the bigest exporter of bananas in the world. "

Explore Java may merit the 'Love Irish Food' sticker technically, but perhaps it is not the best product to use this sticker on because it's so obviously not Irish apart from the Bewley name!

Recall of all Irish Pork Products

Wow, it was strange at Dunnes stores today. In the aisle that's usually full of sausages, rashers (aka bacon), etc. there were only a couple packages of turkey rashers and sausages. On the side there was a selection of chorizo and German salamis. Last night it was announced that contaminated feed was given to pigs on a number of farms in Ireland and that products with Irish pork products on offer since September could contain traces of a chemical dioxin.

"Minister for Food Trevor Sargent has said identifying the source of contamination of Irish pork with a chemical dioxin would have been quicker if dioxin monitoring equipment had been available here instead of having to send samples to England for testing." (source: RTE)

Sandwich ham is one of the few things one of my sons will eat, so he and my daughter have had ham at least 5 times a week since that time. We have had pork chops at least once a week. On weekends we enjoy our sausages for breakfast.

In the past few months I have been going for cheaper, store brand sliced ham and pork (apart from sausages where I go for the better quality), but I think this incident really shows why it's best to buy locally produced products that you can trace.

I recently had a diet made up for me and I was told no pig meat and, as I was also told no poultry, was finding it really hard to avoid having pork at least once a week. This could be a higher force telling me I should have stuck to the diet!

Other effects: Pizza parlours can't offer pork toppings! Oh no, no meat feast!!! (unless you go to Godfather's or Domino's because they use toppins sourced outside of Ireland).

Click here for RTE's guide on the Irish pork recall.