Take stock
ShelfLife outlines which products retailers should stock for their in the case of a national emergency
Print2 November 2026
The Department of Defence is actively encouraging households to keep essential food supplies at home amid concerns over potential disruption caused by climate change, extreme weather and hostile states. In August Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee launched the national Be Emergency Ready campaign, encouraging households across Ireland to take simple steps to prepare for emergencies and periods of disruption such as flooding, storms, cyber-attacks and geopolitical unrest. As part of the campaign, every household in Ireland will receive a dedicated emergency preparedness booklet. This campaign builds on a growing focus across Europe on helping households prepare for emergencies.
Commenting on the campaign, Minister McEntee, said: “Across Ireland, we have experienced storms, flooding, power outages and other emergencies that remind us of the importance of being prepared. The Be Emergency Ready campaign is about helping people and families take simple actions now so that we are better prepared should disruption occur.
In terms of grocery items, households throughout the country are urged to keep a supply of non-perishable food on hand. To rotate food so nothing goes past its expiry date. To consider dietary needs of everyone in their household, including small children and pets. If parents use baby formula, they are encouraged to have an extra supply of ready-to-feed formula available. People throughout the country are urged to maintain an adequate supply of essential items such are hygiene items water, matches and batteries.
More recently, it was widely reported that major French supermarket chains have said they were hit by a cyberattack that caused their refrigerators to shoot up in temperature in hundreds of stores, forcing spoiled food to be thrown away and raising concerns about food security.
Top retailers E. Leclerc, Intermarche and Cooperative U confirmed to AFP they suffered a cyberattack that Cooperative U’s chief executive described as “unprecedented”. “Food security requires more attention at all levels,” said the EU’s Food and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen on X. He condemned the attack, adding such “exploitation of food” was now a “reality”.
Taking all of this into consideration, long-life pantry staples are firmly back in the spotlight,with products such as tinned foods, pasta, rice, beans and soups offering consumers affordable, convenient and practical options. This provides a timely opportunity to explore whether the changing attitudes towards household preparedness could influence shopping habits in Ireland, and which pantry staples retailers should be prioritising on their shelves. The onus is now on retailers to stock up on pantry essentials for their customers to help them to adequately prepare for an emergency.
Biona: Traditional pantry staples
Biona is a family-run business with over 40 years’ experience supplying Irish and international retail partners.
All the products in their range are naturally grown on organic farms without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides. Biona is one of the leading organic food suppliers to independent health stores and many leading Irish retailers including Dunnes, SuperValu & Tesco.
Biona range
The brand is known as one of the most innovative brands in grocery, offering over 270 organic and vegetarian products in over 20 categories.
Traditional pantry staples like canned foods are becoming ever more appealing as they are cost efficient, have longer shelf lives and limit wastage. Consumers also understand that they can buy healthier food that meets their needs in canned formats too, and that canned food is not limiting and actually provides a variety of exciting flavour options, such as our Green Curry Coconut Milk, which is the perfect ingredient for Thai curries and other dishes.
Gemma Williams, head of Marketing, Windmill Organics, said: “Retailers should ensure they are tapping into these trends by offering a healthier range of pantry staples, as a strong range can significantly increase average basket spend by offering a wide variety of products that meet diverse customer needs, including organic and better-for-you items.”
The organic cooking sauces, particularly those from South-East Asia, are proving popular at the moment as they hit the mark for those healthy scratch-cookers who are looking for exciting, healthy ingredients to include in their repertoire.
In the post pandemic world, many consumers have made clear that eating healthily has become a higher priority for them and interest in healthy eating is only expected to gain further momentum, highlighting the relevance of a comprehensive organic range that would attract these health-conscious shoppers who are willing to spend more on quality organic products.
Dolmio launches the intensify pasta sauces range
Dolmio, Ireland’s favourite Italian cooking sauce brand, continues to lead the category with strong sales performance, sustained shopper demand and ongoing investment behind the brand.
Innovation remained central to the brand’s strategy with the launch of the Intensify Pasta Sauces range. Featuring four bold flavours, the range responded to growing consumer demand for more adventurous tastes while complementing the brand’s trusted core portfolio.
By combining category-leading quality with relevant innovation, the brand continued to recruit younger shoppers and create new meal occasions.
As Dolmio celebrates its 40th anniversary, the brand is set to enter an exciting new chapter with an exciting ATL campaign showcasing the breadth of its portfolio and inspiring consumers with even more ways to enjoy great-tasting pasta meals. Continued investment in shopper and brand marketing will ensure Dolmio remains a key partner for retailers and a strong driver of category growth.
More than a dip: Garnacha Brings the Mexican Salsa tradition to Irish Kitchens
In Mexico, salsa does not wait on the side of the plate. It is spooned over eggs, folded through rice, stirred into stews and passed around the table until the last tortilla has disappeared. It is part of the rhythm of eating – fresh, generous and deeply personal.
That understanding sits at the heart of Garnacha, the Irish food business founded by Mexican-Irish couple Andrea and Andrew. Rooted in Andrea’s memories of growing up in Mexico and built through their life together in Ireland, Garnacha was created to show that real Mexican salsa is far more versatile than the familiar jar of nacho dip.
Garnacha cooking sauces range
Its range of Mexican salsas is made using whole vegetables, carefully selected chillies and traditional flavour combinations. The products are vegan, gluten-free and made without preservatives, bringing depth and character to everyday food without lengthy preparation.
The Chipotle Salsa combines smoky chipotle with guajillo and pasilla chillies,creating a rich, rounded sauce for chilli, beans, mushrooms, pulled vegetables or slow-cooked dishes.
The Habanero Salsa brings brightness, acidity and a lively chilli heat. It belongs naturally in classic Mexican dishes such as huevos rancheros and enchiladas, but it is just as useful spooned over roasted vegetables, stirred into soups or used to wake up a simple plate of eggs.
Garnacha’s Peanut Salsa draws on the rich, layered flavours found across Mexican regional cooking. Roasted peanuts and chillies create a savoury, deeply nutty sauce that works beautifully with chicken, noodles, grilled vegetables or rice. Think of it as a kind of ‘Mexican satay’ – familiar enough to know what to do with, but unmistakably Mexican in flavour.
For Garnacha, authenticity is not about making Mexican food feel distant or complicated. It is about preserving the flavours, ingredients and generosity of Mexican cooking while making them useful in the kitchens people already have. Cook it into dinner. Spoon it over lunch. Put it in the middle of the table.
That is where salsa belongs. Garnacha: Rooted in Mexico, made in Ireland.
Janets Just Delicious: Bringing real food and real flavour to Irish family tables
For almost 30 years, Janet Drew has been creating delicious, innovative food products with a passion for quality ingredients and great flavour.
Her journey began in the late 1990s with Janets Country Fayre, producing artisan chutneys and relishes at a time when Irelands artisan food movement was just emerging. What started in a small kitchen in the Midlands has grown into a successful Irish food business, operating from a purpose-built production facility in Kilcoole, Co. Wicklow.
Janets Just Delicious Pizza and Pasta sauces range
Building on this heritage, Janet developed Janets Just Delicious, a range of wholesome pasta and pizza sauces designed to make everyday family meals easier, without compromising on quality or taste.
Made in small batches using carefully selected ingredients, the sauces contain no added sugar, no added salt and no artificial additives. Instead, Janet uses ingredients such as carrot purée to bring natural sweetness and flavour to her recipes.
2026 has marked an exciting new chapter for the business, with a fresh new look for Janets Just Delicious, investment in brand development and marketing, and an increased focus on bringing the range to more Irish households.
With listings currently in SuperValu and later this year in Tesco, Janets Just Delicious is well positioned for continued growth, meeting consumer demand for convenient, better-for-you food made right here in Ireland
Despite the business growth, Janet remains hands-on in the kitchen, developing recipes and ensuring that every product reflects the quality, care and flavour that have defined her business from the beginning.
Heinz: Sustaining success in Irish homes
For more than 150 years, Heinz Tomato Ketchup has earned its place at the table – an icon that shows up wherever good food is shared, from everyday dinners to summer BBQ moments.
This year that enduring relevance is reflected in the numbers: Heinz has climbed to Number 8 in the Worldpanel by Numerator Top 100 Brands at Home ranking, a strong showing that underlines just how embedded the brand is in Irish kitchens and cupboards – spanning across core categories including condiments and sauces, meals, infant nutrition and pasta sauces.
That momentum is built on quality from the ground up. Heinz Tomato Masters a dedicated team focused on maintaining the standards that help make every bottle taste just like Heinz – a commitment that underpins the brand’s reputation for reliability.
In Ireland, that trust translates directly into the shopping basket. Heinz Tomato Ketchup remains the ‘number one’ ketchup in homes in Ireland proof that brand heritage isn’t just history – it’s lived experience, passed through generations and reinforced in everyday moments.
As Heinz builds on this achievement, the brand stays true to what has always set it apart: bringing people together and creating memorable moments around food, wherever it’s shared.
Supporting the families and communities it serves, Heinz continues to deliver on its promise: great taste, made with care in the bottle people recognise instantly.
Batchelors: A true staple in Irish households
A true staple in Irish households, Batchelors continues to evolve with changing consumer needs while staying true to its roots. Working with Irish farmers along the banks of the River Nore, the brand sources high-quality peas, including a unique strain grown and harvested locally.
Batchelors has expanded beyond its core range to deliver a diverse portfolio of beans, peas and pulses. From Curried Chickpeas to Mediterranean Mixed Beans, the range is packed with protein and fibre, delivering versatile solutions to modern mealtimes.
In 2026, Batchelors was proud to announce an exciting partnership, as Official Beans Partner of the GAA/GPA, marking the beginning of a three-year partnership. Bringing together two iconic Irish Brands, the collaboration celebrates community and performance, with Batchelors fuelling players every day from plate to pitch, reinforcing its position as Ireland’s Supreme Bean.
Chimac launches Korean-inspired meal sauce sachets
Founded in Dublin in 2019 by Sofie Rooney and chef Garret FitzGerald, Chimac has grown from a Korean-inspired fried chicken restaurant on Aungier Street into an award-winning Irish sauce brand stocked in more than 900 retailers across Ireland, the UK and Europe.
Inspired by Korea’s chimaek culture of fried chicken and beer, the pair opened Chimac with a simple ambition: to combine quality local ingredients with global flavours and creative cooking. The restaurant’s signature sauces proved so popular that they launched a retail range in 2021, bringing their chef-developed recipes into home kitchens.
Produced in Dublin, the range includes Korean Hot Sauce, K-BBQ Sauce, Sriracha Caramel and Kimchi Ketchup, tapping into growing demand for bold, globally inspired flavours and restaurant-quality food at home.
In 2026, Chimac won eight Great Taste Awards and two silver medals at Blas na hÉireann.
Chimac recently Korean-inspired meal sauce sachets in Tesco Ireland. Featuring Korean BBQ Wing Sauce, Sriracha Caramel Glaze and Korean Stirfry, the convenient, single-serve sachets make restaurant-quality meals possible in under 15 minutes. Just add protein or veg for a quick, flavour-packed meal.
There’s more to come, with Honey Jalapeño Sauce and Sriracha Caramel Mustard in development. Combining nostalgic favourites with unexpected flavour combinations, Chimac continues to bring creativity and punchy flavour to everyday cooking.
Meridian delivers delicious, natural nut butters
Holding a 19.9% value share¹ of the peanut butter market, Meridian’s success reflects its focus on delivering delicious, natural nut butters that meet the needs of today’s health-conscious consumers. As awareness around health and nutrition grows, shoppers are paying closer attention to ingredient lists and looking for minimally processed foods, they can feel good about eating and serving to their families.
As a result, demand for natural, palm oil-free nut butters continue to rise. Meridian has been championing this approach since the 1980s, when it became one of the first brands to produce palm oil-free peanut butter. Today, that commitment remains at the heart of the range, with Meridian’s core products containing nothing but 100% nuts and no added palm oil, sugar or unnecessary additives.
Nut butters naturally provide a source of protein, healthy fats and fibre, making them an ideal breakfast staple. Meridian goes one step further by roasting its peanuts with their skins on, helping to deliver higher fibre content than many alternatives.
Whether stirred into porridge, blended into smoothies or drizzled over pancakes, Meridian nut butters provide a simple way to elevate breakfast while supporting a balanced diet.
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