In 1983, in the garage of his home in county Carlow, Quentin Gargan founded the business when he began shipping sacks of rice and beans from London to stock his own health stores. He then received requests from other health store owners for similar supply, and so began the story of Wholefoods. Market representation for food supplement brands followed and over time the company has built a substantial catalogue of products to match retailers’ needs and keep ahead of emerging trends from all parts of the globe.
The company’s roots were forged together with the early pioneers of health store owners in Ireland, and we are proud that those close relationships continue to be such an important part of our business today. With the migration of natural health & wellness trends into more mainstream channels, Wholefoods was forced to move with the times, and so began to supply some suitable brands to pharmacy and grocery retailers. In 2007 the company was purchased by Total Produce plc. an Irish listed company that sources and distributes fresh produce across Europe and North America. This new structure has allowed Wholefoods the scale and support to grow the business while still retaining the culture of a family business.
Today, Wholefoods Wholesale is Ireland's largest and longest established distributor of natural foods and healthcare products including vitamin and mineral supplements, herbal remedies, licensed medicines, body care and haircare. The business now employs over 75 colleagues, many with long service going right back to the early days. Based in Dublin, but with unrivalled sales team coverage nationwide (ROI & NI), the company offers a turnkey logistics service backed up by product training, marketing and brand management.
The company offers an integrated and channel specific approach for brands requiring distribution in Ireland, while still remaining true to its original ethos. That is mainly due to the dedication of our staff and continued support of long standing brand owners and customers. The Wholefoods team is proud to be involved in such an interesting and important industry. We are dedicated to connecting our retail customers with the leading Irish and international brands that empower Ireland’s consumers towards healthier lifestyles. We endeavour to do so in a professional and friendly way.
