Refreshed range of family friendly ketchup with ‘less sugar, more taste’ launched  

Calling all Mama and Papa Bears!

Cork business, Mama Bear, is now part of the Ballymaloe Foods family

Mama Bear, the Irish producer of a range of family-friendly ketchup with ‘less sugar, more taste’, has refreshed its product offering with some tasty recipe additions and a fresh new look. The natural range of condiments are made using quality ingredients, and feature a reduced sugar content and gut-friendly prebiotic fibre. The Cork business which was originally founded in 2018 by Loretta Kennedy was acquired in 2022 by Ballymaloe Foods and it has just launched its latest product – Hidden Veggies Ketchup – which is sure to become a household favourite.

Mama Bear product range

The Mama Bear range is naturally gluten free and vegan friendly, and it has been designed to ensure it is easy for little hands to help themselves while using recyclable packaging. There are three family-friendly ketchups available in its product range:

• New – Hidden Veggies Ketchup: The latest addition to the Mama Bear range, Hidden Veggies Ketchup helps to support parents in getting extra veg into mealtimes. As with all Mama Bear products, it’s full of flavour and goodness.
• Tomato Ketchup: This ketchup is the perfect addition to family dinner tables, diners of all ages will enjoy the familiar look and flavour of traditional tomato ketchup but with one important difference!  It is made from all natural ingredients with no nasties.
• Smoky BBQ Ketchup: The Smoky BBQ Ketchup is a delicious accompaniment to summer dining, or for a flavour boost at any time. It has warming notes from smoked paprika, garlic and spices which little ones are sure to enjoy.

Mama Bear was founded by Cork native Loretta Kennedy in her kitchen in 2018 when she began making a healthier version of ketchup for her children. Frustrated at the shortage of healthy food options available in the Irish market, Loretta was motivated to create something that her three children would love that would also be nutritionally beneficial. With a commitment to using only natural ingredients, reducing sugar content and looking to add in nutritional boosting extras, Mama Bear proved to be very popular with families seeking healthier options for their families.

In 2022, Mama Bear joined the Ballymaloe Foods family and since then, Mama Bear has undergone some recipe and packaging refreshments ahead of its launch into Irish retailers Dunnes Stores and SuperValu nationwide.

Speaking about the move, Maxine Hyde, co-director of Ballymaloe Foods, said, “As mums with young families of our own, we are acutely aware of the lack of Irish made, healthy food options for young children. Parents often feel guilty about feeding their children well while juggling busy lives and Mama Bear helps to provide a quality, healthy and convenient solution. We had loved Loretta’s vision and original product range for Mama Bear and saw the opportunity to bring our thirty years of experience within the Irish food industry to be a part of the next chapter of this exciting food brand”.

The Mama Bear range of ketchups is now available at Dunnes Stores  and SuperValu (RRP €3.99*).

For recipe inspiration and mealtime tips, visit mamabearfoods.ie or follow @mamabear_foods on Instagram.

*RRP is always at the discretion of the retailer.