Just in time for Christmas, a brand new addition to Cork’s shopping scene has burst onto the market with extraordinary momentum. Bulk Buy in Ballincollig has quickly become the one-stop shop everyone is talking about. At the heart of its success is the dynamic husband-and-wife team Kieran, Iris plus their team, who’re driving it forward.
Located in Ballincollig Commercial Park on the Link Road P31CF30, with plenty of free parking right. Bulk Buy offers everything from turkeys and hams to prepared vegetables, desserts, starters and freezer favourites, all at discounted prices. It has quickly established itself as the go-to place to stock up for Christmas without breaking the bank.
Owners Kieran and Iris are no strangers to retail. “We have been in retail all our lives,” says Kieran. He grew up in Ballincollig where his parents ran a grocery shop attached to the family home. Later, the couple ran a wholesale business, which they sold around fifteen years ago, but they always intended to return to retail. With two other businesses already operating, a petrol station in Ovens and a mini supermarket in Cloughduv, their experience and extensive contacts in the wholesale market meant they were perfectly positioned to spot opportunities. “If cornflakes were changing their size there would be a glut of the older size boxes on the market that needed to be pushed through fast, and that’s where we would come in,” Kieran explains. That ability to source strong value products is the backbone of Bulk Buy today.
When asked if retail runs in his blood, Kieran laughs: “I suppose it was bate into me really.” Iris joins in with her own story. “My parents opened a shop when I was about 17, they had a petrol station in Ballincollig too, so we have been in retail in Ballincollig for a long time.” The couple have lived in Ovens for nearly 36 years, firmly rooted in the community and that sense of local connection is woven into their business.
Bulk Buy opened on September 16th, and the reaction has exceeded anything they imagined. “Social media was a huge help, the location is perfect, the parking is perfect,” says Kieran. Their original plan was simple – buy a few pallets, put them on the floor, sell them, and move on to the next product. But the customers quickly changed that plan. “The customer has dictated slightly differently,” adds Iris. “When people get something on offer, they want it again next week. Instead of rotating limited stock, we found ourselves sourcing repeat products, expanding our range, and responding to direct requests”. Their expectation of stocking around 200 items soon ballooned and is closer to 1,000 now.
The customer-driven nature of the business has become Bulk Buy’s unique selling point. If someone asks for something, they immediately look for it. “Just this morning I had a customer asking if we could get golden syrup in a bigger bottle, we are already trying to source that,” says Iris. Another example came when customers requested dandelion and burdock, a UK mineral drink neither of them had heard of. After three requests through a social media wish list post, they sourced a small quantity which sold out the morning they announced its arrival. More customers asked for it again, so it will be returning. “We are very much allowing the customer to dictate,” Iris says. “It’s the only way going forward, and we have to move away from the multinationals ruling the roost.”
Their commitment to supporting local suppliers is another standout factor. “We are trying to keep it as local as possible,” says Iris. “For Christmas we will be doing hams, either raw or cooked, sourced from Bacon Slicers in Ballincollig, turkeys, Clonakilty puddings, O’Flynn sausages, Murphy’s Battered products from the northside, and potatoes from Griffins Potatoes in Carrigaline. These relationships support Cork producers and family businesses, and impact the local economy”.
Some of their biggest sellers highlight the value they offer and are flying out the door according to Iris, “Clonakilty black pudding is extremely popular, available as a full 700g chubb or frozen black pudding bites perfect for entertaining. A 4.5kg tub of fresh chicken fillets for €33.50 has been a huge hit, as has a full pork loin for €30 and a bacon back for €35 from Bacon Slicers. A one kilogram tub of Clonakilty sausage, normally only for the international market, is also hugely popular. Barry’s Tea is another customer favourite, with 600 teabags selling for €23.95. Ten frozen raw jambons in a pack for €9.50 are also selling very well”.
The frozen section has become a major draw. “There is such a demand for frozen foods,” she continues. “People’s lives are busy and they love to have some food in the freezer.” Their frozen pastries and desserts have proven especially popular, including twelve and fourteen portion cream cakes, made in Wexford. They sell nine ring donuts for €5 made just across the fence in O’Keeffe’s Bakery, along with eclairs, apple turnovers, cheesecakes, roulades, and Christmas puddings in individual portions, fourteen to a baking tray, oven ready. For Christmas entertaining, they offer duck, vegetable or chicken spring rolls, bite-size samosas, and a wide range of convenience vegetable options
If you are looking for a stress- free Christmas they will be doing peeled potatoes, baton carrots, everything you could want for Christmas, as Iris explained. “We have brussel sprouts on the stalk so you can see they are fresh. We will have stuffing, roast potatoes, mashed potatoes all you have to do is heat and eat if you want to. Or we have peeled 5kg potatoes for people who want to cook their own but don’t want to peel them.” The variety, convenience, value, and local sourcing have all contributed to growing customer loyalty.
Friendly service is at the heart of the operation. The couple know their customers, listen to them, and respond. “Part of our success is listening to the customer and being able to supply them with what they want,” says Kieran. Many customers travel long distances to shop there, recent customers have been from East Cork, Killarney, Wexford, and even Lahinch, often armed with lists from family members. One couple arrived with ice packs to transport their frozen purchases home. For Kieran and Iris, this is both flattering and surreal.
Running the business has been intense. “We are open seven days, 8.30 to 5.30, and at the moment we are training a lot of new staff,” says Iris. Their children are deeply involved, making it a true family effort. Their son Colm works with them full time, while their daughter, Sarah helps whenever she can. Seeing Colm involved makes the business third-generation, something that brings great pride to Iris’s parents.
Managing three businesses is demanding, but Kieran embraces it. “It’s tough work but we knew what we were taking on, it’s a labour of love,” he says. Their other businesses open until 9pm and 10pm, making the earlier closing time in Ballincollig a blessing. “Anyone in retail will tell you it is 24/7 and unless you are prepared to give it that, it’s not for you. It’s like anything in life, you only get out of it what you put in.” Iris joins in, Kieran calls to each of the businesses every day and in Cloughduv we have a super manager, Daniel O’Halloran, a fantastic asset, who is really dedicated and reliable.
Their streamlined model allows them to take smaller margins and turn stock over quickly, helped by low overheads and strong supplier relationships. When asked why he works so hard, Kieran says, “I suppose I would be a touch of a workaholic.” Iris laughs. “There’s no touch about it, he is a workaholic!” she adds. Kieran continues “People often ask me why I do it, and the answer is simple because I like to do it.” The exchange sums up the couple’s dynamic, perfectly – hardworking, good-humoured, and committed to making the business a success.
Bulk Buy will close on December 24th, with collections scheduled in the days before, and reopen on January 5th after a well-earned break and planned expansion of storage space into the shop. Both Kieran and Iris confidently say they will expand further, with demand already coming from areas with access to East Cork.
In just two months, Bulk Buy has gone from an idea to one of the most talked-about retail success stories in Cork. With loyal customers, strong local supplier partnerships, exceptional value, friendly service, and a genuine commitment to sourcing what customers ask for, it’s no surprise people are travelling from across the country.
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