Flahavan's Timeline

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  • Heritage
  • Brand
  • Sustainability
  • 1785

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Since 1785

    Heritage
    The first connection to the mill can be traced back to Thomas Dunn, the great, great, great grandfather of John Flahavan.
  • 1890

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    What's in a name

    Heritage
    Ellen Dunn (grand daughter of Thomas Dunn) married Tom Flahavan in the 1840’s. Their son Edward Flahavan, born 1850, took over the running of the mill and is the namesake over the door today.
  • 1900s

    Flahavan's Timeline

    Kilmacthomas

    Heritage
    Kilmacthomas prospered in the 1900’s and a lot of families were employed by the mill.
  • 1905

    Flahavan's Timeline

    The Family House

    Heritage
    Mary, Edward Flahavan and friends outside the family house that still stands today.
  • 1905

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Greenway in days gone by

    Sustainability
    Now, a section of the Waterford Greenway, the railway beside Flahavan's was an important link in the supply chain from the late 1800’s to the 1960’s.
  • 1910

    Flahavan's Timeline

    Kilmacthomas Woollen Mills

    Heritage
    Originally a woollen mill to provide employment during the famine, it was later bought by Flahavan’s and adapted as a warehouse until it was sold in 2000.
  • 1920s

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Sustainable since the start

    Sustainability
    The river Mahon was used as a means to power the mill since it was first founded.
  • 1935

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Porridge Ad

    Progress Oats

    Brand
    The two young sons of Edward Flahavan, James and Tom, made a progressive change in the milling process and began flaking/rolling the oat which decreased cooking time from 20min to 5min. They launched the first Flahavan’s brand, Progress Porridge Oats, selling it locally.
  • 1945

    Flahavan's Packaging

    Flahavan’s in technicolour

    Brand
    Progress Porridge Oatlets with a new bright colouring in 1945.
  • 1947

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    New Beginnings

    Heritage
    A rebuild of the factory was undertaken and the brothers James and Tom reconstructed the new factory responding to developments in the grain business.
  • 1956

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Porridge Ad

    Nourishment & Economy

    Brand
    A Hand drawn draft advertisement from the 1950’s.
  • 1950s

    Flahavan's Timeline

    The Flahavan’s Way

    Brand
    Progress Oatlets Pack got a new look in the 1950’s.
  • 1961

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Porridge Ad

    Start each day the best way

    Brand
    An advert from a school annual.
  • 1962

    Flahavan's TV Ad

    As seen on Television

    Brand
    Flahavan’s shot their first television ad and the phrase ‘as seen on TV’ was included on the pack to give the brand glamour and authenticity.
  • 1970s

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    The sixth generation

    Heritage
    James Flahavan’s sons John and Edward (Ned) Flahavan, 6th generation, joined the company and gradually took over the reins.
  • 1980

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    John & Mary Flahavan

    Heritage
    John Flahavan marries Mary Hoynes in 1980. They now have six children. Two of them, Annie and James now work full time in the company.
  • 1985

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Oats so Steamy

    Sustainability
    The mill uses lot of steam in the milling and cooking process. Seeking to find a more sustainable source of fuel, Ned Flahavan investigated the possibilities of using oat husks, and in 1985 Flahavan’s installed the first oat husk powered boiler.
  • 1987

    Flahavan's Timeline

    James ‘Buddy’ Flahavan

    Heritage
    James ‘Buddy’ Flahavan, father of John Flahavan with grandson Johnny Flahavan at the launch for ‘Wheat ‘n’ Bran’.
  • 1990

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    In the finest tradition

    Brand
    A calendar piece featuring a sketch of the traditional mill stones used at the time.
  • 1991

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Ad

    Start your day the Flahavan’s way

    Brand
    Spot the budding actor Andrew Scott, now best known for his roles in ‘Fleabag’ and ‘Sherlock’.
  • 1997

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline, Packaging

    Progress Progressions

    Brand
    After roughly 30 years of the same design, our progress range rebranded to appeal to the changing consumer profile.
  • 1998

    Flahavan's Timeline, Packaging

    Flahavan’s goes tropical

    Brand
    Our first granola product launched called ‘Crunchy Oats’. Flahavan’s relaunch an Original Granola in 2014.
  • 1999

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline, Packaging

    The progress evolution

    Brand
    Flahavan’s relaunched their Progress Oatlets line - accounting for 95% of sales.
  • 1999

    Flahavan's Timeline

    New Horizons

    Heritage
    Flahavan’s sold the agri division of their business to Brett Brothers. This reduces the size of the business but means there is complete focus on consumer foods. In this year, John Flahavan takes on full ownership of the company.
  • 2000

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Recipes by Mary Flahavan

    Heritage
    Mary Flahavan has played an integral role to the new product development journey in Flahavan’s. She created some of the recipes on shelf today from their kitchen. Check out Mary’s legendary Porridge Bread »
  • 2003

    Flahavan's Porridge Oats

    Flahavan’s UK launch

    Brand
    Flahavan’s Irish Oats were launched in the UK. The Flahavan’s well known red, white and green colours indicated Italian origins when researched in the UK so the packaging was redesigned using a more muted colour palette.
  • 2004

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Porridge Oats

    Selected for you, naturally

    Brand
    Flahavan’s launches an Organic Oats product in the Irish market.
  • 2004

    Flahavan's Quick Oats

    Oatstanding Innovation

    Brand
    Flahavan’s develops and launches the innovative Quick Oats microwavable porridge. The product was first launched in Tesco UK and then launched in the Irish market.
  • 2008

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Muesli

    High five for Hi8

    Brand
    Flahavan’s launched a no added sugar Muesli called Hi8. Did you know: The 8 stands for the eight different grains fruits and seeds contained in the muesli.
  • 2008

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Packaging

    Sets you up for Life

    Brand
    The ‘Sets you up for life’ TV campaign featuring a salsa dancing progress pack.
  • 2011

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Oatmeal

    Flahavan’s Goes Stateside

    Brand
    Flahavan’s, with the support of Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland, launched in the US with three packaged oatmeal products Steel Cut Oats, Quick to Cook Steel Cut Oats and Rolled Oats.
  • 2013

    Flahavan's Timeline

    Flahavan’s goes East

    Brand
    Flahavan’s sales in South Korea have performed particularly well due to a government initiative which encourages the consumption of higher fibre cereals. Oats have double the fibre of white rice, making it a popular choice to improve the health of the nation.
  • 2015

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Clean Energy

    Sustainability
    The wind turbine is installed on John Flahavan’s fields – we self-generate over 70% of our own energy
  • 2016

    Flahavan's Products, Biscuits

    Stay Unflappable

    Brand
    Flahavan’s relaunch their flapjack range which now consists of 5 varieties Original, Choc Chip, Cranberry & Orange, Lemon & Poppyseed, and Dark Choc & Orange
  • 2017

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Origin Green

    Sustainability
    John Flahavan with the Sustainable Energy Achievement award. Members of Bord Bia’s Origin Green since 2012.
  • 2018

    Flahavan's Ad

    Not your run of the mill oats

    Brand
    The Not your Run of the Mill Oats tv campaign is launched, bringing you inside Flahavan’s mill - did you discover our secret?
  • 2019

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    Locally grown, locally produced

    Sustainability
    All our conventional oats are sourced within a 100km radius of the mill.
  • 2019

    Flahavan's Timeline, The Mill

    Trusted for 200 years

    Heritage
    In its 7th generation, the Flahavan's family continues to mill oats just like their ancestors did in the very same spot.
  • 2020

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration
    Flahavan's Timeline

    The next generation

    Heritage
    As John Flahavan says, he is only a custodian of Flahavan’s, making sure he passes on the business in better condition to the generations to come.
  • 2020

    Flahavan's Oats Illustration

    Oat Drink Launch

    Brand
    Flahavan's enters a new category with its new range of Oat Drinks
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