At Gourmet Grocer, we love food with a story behind it. The kind of product that starts with a family recipe, grows through generations, and earns its place on kitchen tables because it simply tastes good.
Ballymaloe Foods is one of those names.
Based in County Cork, Ballymaloe Foods is an Irish family-run food business best known for its much-loved Ballymaloe Relish. Made using Myrtle Allen’s original recipe, Ballymaloe Relish has become a staple in homes, cafés, delis and restaurants across Ireland and beyond.
A Family Recipe from Ballymaloe House
The Ballymaloe story begins in East Cork, where Ivan Allen grew tomatoes in glasshouses in Shanagarry. When there was a glut of tomatoes, his wife Myrtle Allen created a relish to preserve them and enjoy their flavour all year round.
In 1964, Myrtle opened a restaurant in her dining room at Ballymaloe House. She went on to become one of Ireland’s most influential food figures and was the first woman in Ireland to be awarded a Michelin star.
Years later, Myrtle’s daughter Yasmin Hyde began making Ballymaloe Relish in her own kitchen using her mother’s recipe. In 1990, Yasmin founded Ballymaloe Foods, producing the relish for local shops, restaurants and farmers markets.
Today, Ballymaloe Foods remains a family business, with Yasmin and her daughters continuing to grow the brand while staying true to the flavour and quality that made the original relish so loved.
The Relish That Became an Irish Favourite
Ballymaloe Relish is made with tomatoes, sultanas and a carefully selected blend of spices. It is sweet, tangy, rich and wonderfully versatile — the kind of jar that seems to work with almost everything.
It is delicious with cheese, cold meats, sandwiches, salads, toasties, burgers, sausage rolls, cooked breakfasts and grazing boards. It is also a brilliant ingredient to keep in the fridge for adding instant flavour to everyday meals.
That is part of what makes Ballymaloe so special. It feels familiar and homely, but still adds something extra to the plate.
More Than Just Relish
While Ballymaloe Relish is the product many people know and love, Ballymaloe Foods has grown into a wider range of sauces, relishes, mayonnaises, dressings, pasta sauces and traditional meal accompaniments.
Their approach remains focused on good ingredients, careful cooking and proper flavour. Ballymaloe Foods avoids artificial additives and preservatives, choosing instead to let simple, well-made recipes speak for themselves.
It is Irish food with heritage, but it never feels old-fashioned. It is practical, versatile and made for real kitchens.
Why We Love Ballymaloe Foods at Gourmet Grocer
Ballymaloe Foods is exactly the kind of producer we are proud to stock at Gourmet Grocer. It is an Irish family business with strong roots, a brilliant food story and products that customers genuinely love.
For us, Ballymaloe belongs naturally beside our local cheeses, fresh breads, deli meats, hampers and store cupboard favourites.
Add Ballymaloe Relish to a cheeseboard, spread it through a sandwich, serve it with cooked meats, or include it in a Gourmet Grocer hamper for a proper taste of Irish food heritage. It is simple, reliable and always welcome on the table.
A Taste of Irish Food Heritage
Some products become classics for a reason. Ballymaloe Relish is one of them.
From Myrtle Allen’s original kitchen recipe to the jars enjoyed across Ireland today, Ballymaloe Foods has built a reputation around flavour, family and quality. It is a reminder that the best food stories often start with something simple, made well.
You can find Ballymaloe Foods products at Gourmet Grocer, 10 High Street, Enniskillen. Call in to explore the range, pick up a jar for your next cheeseboard, or add an Irish favourite to one of our Gourmet Grocer hampers.
