The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) published a new Guidance Note, Control of Listeria monocytogenes and Ensuring Food Safety in the Production of Certain Cook/Chilled Ready-To-Heat Meals, providing practical recommendations to help food businesses strengthen their food safety management systems and better detect and control Listeria monocytogenes.

Listeria monocytogenes is a pathogenic bacterium that causes listeriosis, a serious foodborne illness that can have significant impacts on health, particularly in older people, people with certain existing medical conditions and pregnant women. The guidance was issued as part of the FSAI’s ongoing response to recent outbreaks of listeriosis, including the outbreak in Ireland in 2025 and one in the United States the same year, both linked to ready-to-heat meals. These outbreaks of listeriosis highlight the risks associated with these products, if effective food safety controls are not in place.

Ready-to-heat meals are fully cooked during manufacturing but still require thorough cooking by consumers to make them safe before consumption. Although these products are not classified as ready-to-eat foods under EU legislation, food businesses have a responsibility to ensure all food placed on the market is safe to eat. The FSAI advises that certain types of ready-to-heat meals* can still pose significant risks if contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes despite carrying instructions for cooking by the consumer.

Mr Greg Dempsey, Chief Executive, FSAI, said:

“Listeriosis is a rare but potentially serious infection caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes, which poses a particular risk to older people, people with certain existing medical conditions, and pregnant women. It is essential that consumers ensure that they handle these ready-to-heat meals as instructed on the pack and cook them thoroughly until piping hot, and in line with manufacturer’s instructions.”

“Protecting consumers from foodborne illness is a fundamental responsibility for all food businesses. This guidance highlights the importance of a proactive approach to controlling Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-heat meals. Food businesses must consider how these products are likely to be used in practice and ensure that appropriate controls are in place throughout the production process. By strengthening food safety management systems to better control Listeria monocytogenes, there will be less reliance on adequate cooking of the product by the consumer to make these products safe. We encourage all relevant food businesses to review this guidance and implement the recommended practices.”

The new guidance reminds food businesses that Listeria monocytogenes is a hazard that must be controlled during the production of these foods. The guidance will support the safe and consistent production, storage, handling and labelling of ready-to-heat meals. It emphasises that food businesses must take account of the “reasonably foreseeable use” of these products, recognising that some consumers do not always handle or fully cook them, as required by the manufacturer’s instructions on the pack.

The FSAI states that Listeria monocytogenes can survive and persist in food processing environments and may contaminate food after cooking, if effective hygiene and environmental controls are not in place. Ready-to-heat meals containing several components e.g. meat, vegetables, are particularly vulnerable where they are assembled after cooking and exposed to the processing environment prior to final packaging. If contaminated at this stage, domestic cooking may not always be sufficient to eliminate the risk, particularly where cooking instructions are not followed.

The FSAI Guidance Note 46: Control of Listeria monocytogenes and Ensuring Food Safety in the Production of Certain Cook/Chilled Ready-To-Heat Meals, is available to download from the FSAI website.

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The partnership focuses on protecting the high level personal, store-first service S&W has been built on for over 100 years; while also building it’s operational resilience required to support the increased volumes, peak trading periods, and future expansion.

Director John Paul Harkin of BradEx said:

“Six months ago, we spoke openly with S&W about their growth plans and proposed a trial using our city trailers. Maintaining personal service was essential, so we worked closely together, trained our teams to S&W’s standards, and became an extension of their operation. The trailers increased payload and reduced vehicle movements, supporting lower CO₂ emissions without compromising service.”

The partnership has been built around shared standards, collaborative planning, and a practical focus on what retailers need most: reliable delivery windows, consistent availability, and clear communication. BradEx drivers and their operational teams receive ongoing training aligned to S&W’s ways of working, ensuring service continuity across all routes and locations.

Clive Whylie, Head of Operations at S&W Wholesale, added:

“BradEx have strengthened our transport capacity while protecting what matters most to our customers: Service. Their drivers operate to our standards, which means our customers see dependable deliveries today and a stronger platform as we transition into our new warehouse and future growth. It provides our customers with the confidence that we are strengthen our operations as Your Trusted Wholesaler.”

S&W’s new warehouse development will further support their plans for enhancing product availability, range, picking efficiency and overall operational capability. Combined with the enhanced transport model, the investment will help S&W serve customers more consistently across the island of Ireland, while building greater resilience into its logistics operation.

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Commenting on the appointment of the new Scientific Committee, Dr Wayne Anderson, Director, Food Science and Standards, FSAI, stated that access to the highest calibre of expert scientific advice and knowledge is indispensable for sound decision-making.

“The FSAI is a science-based authority, that is focused on food control activities that are underpinned by scientific risk assessment. The Scientific Committee plays a vital role in providing scientific advice to the FSAI from a multidisciplinary team of expert and independent scientists with a wealth of experience in food safety and nutrition. I would like to thank them for providing their time and expertise freely to benefit the work of the FSAI in protecting consumer health in relation to food and we look forward to working with them over the coming five years.”

The term of the new Scientific Committee is from 2 March 2026 to 1 March 2031, and the full list of members is as follows:

• Dr Geraldine Duffy, Teagasc (Chair)
• Dr Montserrat Gutierrez, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
• Dr Andrew Flanagan, Health Service Executive
• Ms Ann Marie Part, Health Service Executive
• Neil Rowan, Technological University of the Shannon
• Gillian Gardiner, South East Technological University
• Declan Bolton, Teagasc
• Jesus Maria Frias Celayeta, Technological University Dublin
• Mr Eoin O’Brien, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
• Eileen Gibney, University College Dublin
• Helene McNulty, Ulster University
• Dr Sinéad McCarthy, Teagasc
• Fiona Regan, Dublin City University
• Dr Craig Slattery, University College Dublin
• Ms Avril Hobson, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

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BWG Foods has revealed the continued strong performance of its MACE business, underpinned by robust retail sales growth, sustainable network expansion and ongoing investment across store standards, technology and innovation.

The business performance reflects significant progress against the brand’s multi‑year growth and investment strategy, Partners for Ambition, and was shared with MACE retailers and partners at the retail group’s Convention event held at the Castlemartyr Resort in Cork. This strategy was aimed at supporting long-term growth, enhancing retailer profitability and reinforcing MACE’s position as one of Ireland’s leading convenience retail brands. Since the launch of the strategy in 2024, €20 million has been invested in a wide range of initiatives aimed at driving growth across the MACE network.

Following this investment, MACE has delivered 18 percent growth over the first two years of the strategy, pushing retail sales to €470 million over the past 12 months. This momentum in growth has been bolstered by the active expansion of the MACE network, with 21 new stores added over the past two years, significantly enhancing the brand’s visibility and accessibility for consumers.

Continued investment in store standards alongside this growth has been a key driver of this performance. A renewed focus on store refits has seen 48 stores upgraded, delivering an average 12 percent uplift in sales, reinforcing the importance of high-quality in‑store experiences to drive footfall and spend.

Marketing also remains a core differentiator for the brand, with MACE maintaining leadership across traditional and social media channels through the Johnny Sexton campaigns while also leveraging social media engagement to support promotional activity and drive sales.

MACE has also continued to strengthen its quick commerce offering, supported by partnerships with major technology platforms such as Just Eat and Deliveroo. Participating stores are now experiencing additional sales through quick commerce channels, reflecting growing consumer demand for tech-enabled, convenience-led shopping solutions. This focus has complemented broader investment in innovation, including the planned rollout of kiosk ordering units to enhance the efficiency of MACE’s popular foodservice offerings, alongside automation initiatives designed to reduce back‑office labour requirements.

MACE is led by Sales Director Keith Crawford, who was appointed in 2023 to oversee the delivery of the brand’s growth strategy in close collaboration with the MACE Retail Council.

Keith Crawford, MACE Sales Director, BWG Foods, said: “Momentum across the MACE network reflects the strength of our retailer partnerships and our continued focus on investing in the areas that matter most: better store standards, increased innovation and unparalleled convenience for today’s shopper. Our retailers are ambitious, and we remain committed to supporting that ambition through sustained investment, continuing to deliver on our long-term strategy for the years ahead.” 

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Mr Ó Súilleabháin heard about the range of challenges facing Mr Steemers’ business and those of fellow independent retailers,  including high business rates, staff costs and escalating energy bills.

Mr Ó Súilleabháin said: “Mr Steemer’s business has been here for a century offering an excellent service and a wide range of services, which are indispensable for people living in Bunclody and the surrounding area. However, you have to wonder how much longer it will continue if things continue as they are.”

Mr Ó Súilleabháin has represented the Wicklow–Wexford for Sinn Féin at Leinster House since the 2024 election and before that served for over a decade as a Wexford Councillor and also had a career as a special education teacher. The meeting was convened after the Fed’s President in Ireland Martin Mulligan wrote a new series of letters expressing concerns about rising costs and red tape to Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and Independent TDs.

Mr. Steemers said: “I was impressed by Mr Ó Súilleabháin’s positive and friendly approach. He clearly understood the challenges we face as small retailers and our need for support. We spoke about the cost challenges facing Fed members across Ireland and how they are simply driving many out of business. We spoke about the need for a Small Business Ombudsman to promote the voice of small businesses like retailers and we look forward to working with Mr Ó Súilleabháin and other TDs across the political spectrum at Leinster House.”

Also attending the meeting was the Fed’s membership services manager Gwen Patterson.

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