Irish brands lead the way as Irelands favourite
In our July issue ShelfLife will run an exclusive comprehensive report to take a closer look at the achievements of the 100 Master Brands at home, giving brands an opportunity to share insights into how they have achieved and sustained their success
Print25 June 2026
Brennans leads the way, followed by Avonmore, Tayto, Cadbury’s Dairy Milk and Jacob’s, as the most chosen FMCG brands in Ireland, research shows.
Worldpanel by Numerator’s 2026 Brand Footprint report’s ranking reveals that four of the top five brands carry Irish heritage.
Ireland’s branded FMCG market reached €1.8 billion in spend in 2025, up 10.2% year on year, and impacted by rising inflation.
As a result, shoppers are buying little and often to manage budgets, still turning to names they know, but the choice must survive more scrutiny than it used to.
Holding a position in the ranking and growing the quality of that position are two different things – and the gap between them is widening for several of Ireland’s best-known brands.
2026 highlights
- Everyday roles protect the strongest positions. Brennans retains the top spot with 75.8% household penetration, CRPs down just 1.1% and spend up 1.3% – growth built on bread being needed again tomorrow. Avonmore tells a more pointed story: penetration fell from 65.7% to 63.3%, yet CRPs rose 3.2%, frequency climbed from 23.7 to 25.4 and spend grew 10.0%. Fewer homes, but those that stayed came back more often and spent more. That dynamic is supported by Avonmore’s expansion into protein water, vitamins and high-protein soup – a health role built on top of an everyday dairy one.
- Heritage brands can still grow when the promise keeps earning its place. Kerrygold reached 29% household penetration in Ireland in 2025, with CRPs up 19.1%, spend per household up 20.9% and the brand climbing 21 places in the FMCG ranking. The brand is a familiar one in Ireland, but even so, that familiarity had to be earned through real occasions – toast, baking, family meals – not assumed. A mature brand growing repeat choice and higher spend in a careful market is the harder achievement.
- Freshness is gaining ground, but trust is what carries it. Keelings climbed to 13th in total FMCG, up six places, with CRPs up 16.4%, penetration rising to 50% and spend up 40.1%. Fyffes rose eight places to 44th, with frequency up from 7.4 to 8.6 and spend up 19.4%. Fresh produce can feel like an easy cut when money is tight, but both brands are growing because the name behind the product removes that hesitation.
- Water and energy are the fastest-moving segment in beverages. Ballygowan rose 24 places with CRPs up 25.2% and spend up 35.8%, its Irish rugby and GAA partnerships giving hydration a local face. Deep River Rock rose 81 places with CRPs up 64.2% and spend up 81.8% from a smaller base. Coca-Cola remains Ireland’s leading beverage brand with 16.1 million CRPs and 66.7% penetration. Monster grew CRPs by 32.7% and Innocent by 22.7%. The drinks choice is widening – hydration, energy and the ‘little luxury’ occasions are often competing for the same moment.
- Comfort brands face closer scrutiny – but Christmas showed brands can fight back. Tayto holds third in total FMCG with 83.2% penetration, yet CRPs fell 5.5% and frequency softened to 13.7. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk reaches 76.1% of households but CRPs fell 7.9%, even as spend rose 11.6%. Yet Ireland’s branded spend rose €5 million in December 2025, a reminder that shoppers trade towards brands when the occasion earns it.
‘Irish shoppers know what they want’
Commenting on the findings, Emer Healy, business development director for Ireland, Worldpanel by Numerator, highlighted: “Ireland’s ranking looks familiar at the top, but the way brands hold their positions is changing.
“Holding a place in the table and growing the quality of that position are two different things. Some brands are bought by almost everyone.
“Some hold because the people who buy them come back more often and spend more.
“Some are growing because they make health, freshness or premium quality feel worth it on an ordinary day. Irish shoppers still know what they want, but they are making the brands prove it more often.”
ShelfLife 100 Brands at Home report
The 100 Brands at Home report, compiled by Worldpanel by Numerator and exclusively published in our July 2026 issue, will offer valuable insights into the brands most loved by Irish consumers. It highlights consumer behaviour and emerging trends within the grocery market.
Worldpanel by Numerator uses a metric known as Consumer Reach Points (CRPs), which measures both the number of households purchasing a brand and the frequency of those purchases. The data is sourced from 5,000 demographically representative Irish households that record their take-home grocery shopping. By tracking these purchases, Worldpanel by Numerator provides a detailed and insightful snapshot of Ireland’s most popular brands.
The 2026 Brand Footprint report highlights the 100 brands that made their way into the hearts, homes, and baskets of consumers over the past year. Featuring in this year’s ranking are several long-standing favourites. The brands featured are household names for a reason — they have continued to remain relevant and visible to shoppers, even in a rapidly changing market.
Behind the rankings lies a broader story about overall brand performance and evolving consumer preferences.
Highlight your brands achievements
If you would like to take advantage of any of the opportunities available to highlight your brands achievement within this exclusive report, please contact the sales team.
Mark Morgan — mark.morgan@mediateam.ie / 086 885 4930
Ian Mulvaney — ian.mulvaney@mediateam.ie / 087 220 8486
The copy deadline of this edition is 3 July (editorial/product shots) and 8 July for adverts.
Read more: 100 Master Brands at Home
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