Tipperary-based company announces an expansion that will create almost 700 new jobs

Tipperary-based company The Lunch Bag, has announced a €7.5m expansion which will see the tripling in size of its Nenagh headquarters.

The move will also create 240 full-time jobs in Nenagh and 450 part-time jobs nationwide.

CEO Ray Nangle said:

“This is an incredibly exciting time for our business.

“We are immensely proud of the fact that in 2019, we set out to ensure every child in Ireland had access to a school meal service, and we have seen that come to fruition in under five years.

“The impact on childhood nutrition will be monumental, as we ensure a minimum of 65,000 children everyday will have hot, healthy and tasty meals delivered to their desks. To also be able to bring 900 jobs in total to this new industry is an achievement in and of itself,” said Mr Nangle.

Lunch Bag

The children’s healthy lunch delivery service, which was founded in 2019, will grow employee numbers from its current 200 to almost 900 before May 2024.

These will include an additional 240 full time roles in its Nenagh facility, with over 450 part-time staff around the country to operate the service daily in the schools.

This will enable the company deliver in excess of 100,000 hot lunches daily to schools nationwide, up from 35,000 daily today.

The investment is necessitated by the expansion of the Government’s Hot School Meals scheme, which is to be extended to a further 900 Primary Schools following the budget 2024 commitment by the Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys.

The Lunch Bag currently delivers cold lunches to over 600 schools, 315 of which are among the 900 schools set to transition to hot meals next year.

The 240 staff required at the Nenagh facility will mostly comprise general operators, but also HR, admin, warehouse, logistics staff and van drivers.

Part-time school roles will be a welcome announcement for those seeking employment that considers their childcare needs, as the positions operate within school hours and per the school calendar.

Two years ago, the company acquired a 3.5 acre site adjacent to its existing 25,000 sq ft premises at the Lisbunny Industrial Estate with the intention of expanding for increased demand.

The introduction of Universal School Meals has expedited expansion, with works commencing on a 50,000sq ft extension this month to accommodate additional production lines.

Launching the expansion plan today, the company invited those interested in joining the team to contact them at hr@thelunchbag.ie.

A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT

Mr Nangle’s business partner MD Ger Killian said:

“This is a hugely significant moment for The Lunch Bag as we welcome more people into our rapidly expanding business.

“Yet while our recruitment numbers are significant, the biggest impact will be that of a free hot meal to all primary school children.

“Hot school meals are proven to improve attendance, attention and achievement rates within schools, and that’s the feedback we’re getting from schools.”

She added:

“Importantly also, we see a huge shift in fussy eaters trying new foods, leading to less stress for parents. Minister Heather Humphreys Hot Meal announcement will be seen in time as a fundamental shift in child nutrition.”

The Lunch Bag’s expansion will also see significant indirect employment opportunities for supporting services from food producers to fleet maintenance and many more areas of employment.

GREAT FOR NENAGH

Tipperary TD Alan Kelly said he is delighted to hear the news.

“I’m delighted that Lunch Bag, Ireland’s largest healthy school’s lunches company are announcing a huge investment in their facility in Nenagh.

“I introduced them to the town in 2020 and the location where they now are and helped them with their expansion plans over the last two years as they purchased more land from Tipperary County Council.

“This is fantastic news for the town.

“The 240 staff required at the Nenagh facility will mostly comprise general operators, but also HR, admin, warehouse,logistics staff and van drivers.

“I would like to thank CEO Ray Nangle and MD Geraldine Killian for their investment and also Tipperary County Council for working with us on this over the last four years,” said Mr Kelly.