Galway city grocer Ernie’s wants to keep fruit and vegetable production hyper-local
Settled down a back street in Galway city’s Westend is Ernie’s, a family-owned grocers that has been serving the community since it was founded over 50 years ago.
The shop sells fruit, vegetables, wine, bread and specialty foods from around the world, but there’s a strong emphasis on stocking local products.
As we walk through the store, Ernie Deacy Jr, the son of the shop’s founder and owner, points out the origins of items sourced from nearby farmers: blueberries from Co Clare, hot sauce from Spiddal, eggs from Craughwell and freshly baked bread from the city itself.
While the shop stocks a lot of local fare, there are also products from further afield. Mr Deacy said the mix comes down to customer demand.
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To better serve customers and their requests, the shop stocks the types of noodles, olive oils and other goods people have asked for and continue to come back to buy.
Fresh produce is available year-round, but its origins vary. Gesturing toward a display, Mr Deacy said: “I have red bell peppers from Ireland in the shop maybe once a year, but those ones come in from [the Netherlands].”
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The Netherlands, he notes, share a similar climate with Ireland, yet Dutch farmers can consistently produce crops like bell peppers thanks to advanced methods.
The Dutch have perfected techniques such as greenhouse cultivation and hydroponics, Mr Deacy said, enabling them to supply fruit and vegetables year-round. Which ultimately allows Ernie’s to have red bell peppers at any time of year.
However, he questions why the same can’t be done locally as an effort to keep the circular economy of local food production going.
“I don’t understand why we don’t see hydroponics in Ireland,” he said. “There is so much space in Ireland, and with all the efforts towards renewable energy and sustainability... Why can’t we just do it the Dutch way?”
For Mr Deacy, local sustainability starts with infrastructure. He envisions community gardens equipped to grow “out-of-season” produce within Galway city, with small businesses like Ernie’s ready to distribute it.
This aligns with the shop’s ethos to “support local as much as possible”. Importing goods is not a preference, he said, but rather a way to meet customer needs and ensure products sell within Galway’s small-business circular economy.
This vision mirrors Galway City Council’s Climate Action Plan, which includes initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of local food production by partnering with communities, businesses and educational groups.
A shift toward small-scale, local-first food production – built on a foundation of independent grocers and minimal environmental impact – could strengthen the city’s sustainable food system. By listening closely to customer needs, small grocers like Ernie’s can reduce waste, encourage local buying and selling, and foster direct relationships with farmers across the county.
At Ernie’s, the family chose to take on high-quality organic fruit at a rate that would draw customers in rather than make a profit. The priority remains local produce first, with international goods filling the gaps.
In a small city like Galway, Mr Deacy believes this approach can be sustainable in its own right.