It’s always a joy to highlight the amazing work being done by small Irish businesses – and our new Summer 2021 issue is full of whole food aficionados who are making their mark. One new food business that is sure to bring some extra shine to the sunny Southeast is A&K Real Food, located in Dunlavin, Co. Wicklow. It was an honour to interview co-founder Krystian Pietrzak about the origins and ethos of the business. Learn more below!
The Personal Touch
A health shop with heart
by Aisling Cronin
Two years ago, the small town of Dunlavin in Co. Wicklow acquired a new health food shop and cafe, in the form of A&K Real Food. While this charming store now boasts a loyal clientele across the Southeast, the business took time, effort and dedication to develop, as I learned from co-founder Krystian Pietrzak.
‘Our company really began about eight years ago, when we started appearing at Carlow Farmers’ Market and Naas Farmers’ Market,’ he said. ‘The shop and cafe developed as a result of a lot of work and patience. But we were lucky to have amazing support in place. We already had a good customer base after being in the markets for so long, and since then, we’ve often had customers coming in not just from Dunlavin, but also Naas, Carlow, and even from Dublin.’
A&K’s online shop boasts an impressive array of products. They stock dairy-based and dairy-free gelato, cheeses, cookies, breads and other baked goods. Their shelves also host fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts and other healthy treats.
A&K Real Foods ship to all locations within Ireland. When they receive an order within their local delivery radius – which includes towns such as Baltinglass, Blessington, Naas, Newbridge and Carlow – Krystian or another member of the team is able to do that delivery personally.
‘For local deliveries, we like to keep the packaging to an absolute minimum,’ Krystian explains, ‘which is why we do those deliveries ourselves. Our local customers love having that convenient service available to them, as local deliveries can include fresh bread and refrigerated goods too.’
For discerning foodies across the Southeast and beyond, A&K Real Foods is rapidly becoming their one-stop shop. Why not check out all they have to offer via their website below?
