Bulmers leader is proud of the role of the Tipperary company in the local community

In the latest of our series of interviews with Tipp-based executives about working and living in Tipperary, Martin O’Connor talks with Adriana Vindas, General Manager of Bulmers Ireland, based in Clonmel.

I’m always on the look out on any first visit to a company for evident signs of its culture and behaviours – I call it a ‘cultural safari’.
On arrival at the Bulmers Ireland site in Clonmel for my meeting with Adriana Vindas, General Manager, I report to security where I am welcomed by a thoroughly pleasant, friendly and efficient staff member, where I am fully briefed by word and video on health and safety at the site for my benefit and for the integrity of the site and its produce.

I would hate to be the person responsible for ruining Ireland and the world’s enjoyment of both Bulmers and Magners!
The security man then points me across the road to a door to reception saying: “Adriana is on her way to meet you”.

COSTA RICA
Now this is a rarity. Usually on these occasions an emissary is sent to meet you and escort you to a meeting room. I arrive in the reception area and within seconds Adriana walks into the area with a beaming smile carrying all the sunny warmth of her native Costa Rica.

Adriana is from Alajuela, a county of the country. She came to Ireland in May 2021 to initially take up the role of Head Cidermaker and Brewing Manager for the company.

Her initial introduction and first impressions of our country were far from conventional, as it was the middle of the pandemic and for the first two weeks she was quarantined in a hotel room with her husband, Verny, and their three-year-old son, Nicolas.
Adriana says: “It was a big challenge, it was difficult. We needed to book time to get fresh air. Fifteen minutes in the morning and fifteen minutes in the afternoon, but I started working immediately from the hotel room and myself and my new colleagues communicated by video calls. We were lucky my son was so good; he was only three-years-old!”

Adriana and her family had never been to Ireland before and they were now getting their first taste of the country in a hotel and by looking out of their bedroom window.
I asked her about her perceptions of Ireland prior to arrival and why she and her family chose Ireland as their new home and for their new careers.

“We decided as a family we wanted to explore the world. We were sure we wanted Europe as there are so many good opportunities.
“We considered Spain, as it is the same language as Costa Rica. Also, Germany, as I have been in brewing for eleven years and the brewing industry is strong there. I had also been offered a position in Japan.

“I envisaged Ireland as a green, beautiful country, one with beautiful places you can travel around to, but importantly a country with lots of opportunities and one with friendly welcoming people. That was my thinking then and that is my thinking now. It is a good place to live
“It’s not so different from my country. We are also a small country with pretty much the same population
“So, we read a lot about Ireland and concentrated on Ireland and then decided on Ireland. We decided as a family it was the best place for us. I knew the education in Ireland would be very good for our son. I was then offered my initial role here in Clonmel,” said Adriana.

FAMILY ORIENTATED
I asked Adriana, if, once her and her family were out of quarantine and beginning to settle into real life in Clonmel, there was any culture shock? The question receives a definite ‘no’.
“In Costa Rica we are very family oriented, we live and grow together, we celebrate together. It’s the same here.
“I have found the Irish people very open to immigrants. The majority of families here have families outside of Ireland so they really understand the similarity, about people having the experience to live in other countries and come back.
“People here are friendly, everyone tries to help you, they are really open to giving recommendations. That has helped us so much…it’s not easy to be away from family and friends,” said Adriana.
Adriana had mentioned that Ireland offered many opportunities and her husband, Verny , a chemical engineer, now works as a project manager for Pentair, a sustainable water solutions company.

OPPORTUNITY
“That was part of why we moved here to Ireland to get those kind of opportunities…for me and my husband.
“I started in May 2021 and in October 2022 I was promoted to General Manager.
“I got this promotion very quickly; it wasn’t in the plan! Bulmers, in a short period gave me this opportunity. I’m sure that not all the companies and countries around the world are going to do something like that, to give an opportunity like that. I have also started an Executive MBA at Trinity College,” said Adriana.

And what about Nicolas and his settling in Ireland?
“When we arrived, he was only just starting to speak Spanish and now he was starting to learn English. He is in pre school now and will go to primary school in September. He’s now five. He has since told us that at first, he felt lonely as no one could understand him.
“Now he understands everything in Spanish and English. He has the perfect Clonmel Irish accent and expressions!” she said.

MIND BOGGLING SCALE
The scale and numbers of the business that Adriana is leading in Clonmel are quite mind boggling. Last year Bulmers Ireland produced just shy of 60 million bottles of cider, over a 105 million cans and 140,000 kegs for Ireland and the rest of the world, excluding the UK. All of this produced from 250 million - or 21,000 tonnes - of Irish apples.

I asked for her observations on working life at Bulmers:
“In business it’s the same as my experience of life in Ireland and Clonmel. The culture is like a big family. People at the company have been here for many many years. They see each other like family, they support each other like family.
“You see this in the workplace and you see it in society in general,” said Adriana.
In terms of the business, what have been the highlights? What has been memorable and motivating?

CRUSHING SEASON
“It’s a brand that has been in Ireland for so long. It’s that representation that we are proud of at the company. I really get the connection between the people and the brand. It’s an opportunity also to teach people how to drink, how to enjoy cider.
“When I started on the brewing side of the business my first crushing season was brilliant. When you smell the apples in the crushing process, it’s so nice, and then when you see the product in public, you feel so proud and think ‘that is what we are making’.

“We have our fresh apples crushed every year, and keep the fermentation for at least 18 months and then we make our cider. In the global brewing industry only a few companies do the same.
“What I love here also is the focus on sustainability, to be more environmentally friendly There is a big commitment.
“For example, we support the beekeepers here in Clonmel who keep their hives in our farm here and we have also set up 500 ‘bee hotels’ around the country to protect and nurture the native Irish bee.
“Bees are essential in pollinating the blossoms that become our apples.
“We have one of the biggest solar panel roofs in Ireland which provides 10% of site electricity.
“And seeing the training and support given to our people…seeing people progressing, developing their careers, becoming managers,” said Adriana.
Do you see yourself and your family living in Ireland for many years?

GOOD LOCATION
“Yes. We see ourselves here. I’m happy in my job, my husband is happy in his job. Clonmel is a very good town. I mentioned the people already and I Iove that it’s in a very good location. We are close to the beach and the sea but we have the countryside too. We have so many services here and the possibility to visit a lot of different places - Cashel, Cahir, Kilkenny. When we have visitors its perfect. In an hour you are in Cork and in 45 minutes, Kilkenny. When we have visitors, they love Ireland,” she added.

Adriana laughs and says: “The number of castles is fantastic. In Costa Rica we don’t have castles! We have travelled a lot in Ireland. I have so many favourite places - Kerry, West Cork, Galway, Donegal, Northern Ireland.
“People in Clonmel and Tipperary should feel proud because there are many different companies here, big companies who have chosen Tipperary which offers a lot of advantages; nice towns, good services, good schools, it has everything…and the people are really really friendly.
“Even for food here. When I lived in Spain, it was difficult for me to get access to traditional Costa Rican food but here it is brilliant as I can buy everything on the internet…and there are shops in town where we can buy special ingredients for our home dishes. It was a really good surprise for us.
“My parents came for three months last year and are coming again in July. They loved it here and to travel in Ireland,” she said.

LEADERSHIP STYLE
With that the interview ends and its time to get some photos taken. As we walk through the building my ‘cultural safari’ continues. Every person we meet has a quick, informal and easy word with Adriana, completely at ease and with absolutely zero evidence of hierarchy, power or position. As John Kelly, our photographer, takes his pictures, one passing colleague even shouts out a joke to make Adriana laugh. Which she does, heartedly.
This speaks volumes about her personality, leadership style and the environment she wants to create with her colleagues. Bulmers, Tipperary and Ireland are lucky to have her running such a prominent global Irish brand. I’ll drink to that!

The profile of Adriana Vindnas was written by Martin O'Connor.

It is the latest article in his series of interviews with Tipperray-based executives about working and living in Tipperary.