A KOOKEE MOMENT TO SAVOUR

PAULINE CLARKE CHATS TO OLIVIA RYAN ABOUT THE SWEET SUCCESS OF HER FAMILY’S ‘KOOKEE’ COMPANY JUST LAUNCHED IN ALDI

It was a defining moment when Pauline Clarke watched her son Cian knead and shape cookie dough.

A ‘simple thing’ she admits now, which sowed the seeds for a brand new company that has just launched in 126 Aldi stores across the country.

‘I had given up my job some years before that to be my eldest son’s carer,’ explained Pauline. Cian had been diagnosed with autism, and Pauline says it became her role to be his ‘shouterin-chief ’.

‘He was just 4 when I made the decision to give up work. I had worked in food production most of my life, and had a job I loved as a purchasing manager.’

But the challenges Cian was facing were, she says, were all consuming, and she realised he would need her to not only be his mum, and carer, but also his advocate.

‘ The first two years were really difficult, and confusing for us. There was little guidance or help for Cian, and we didn’t know how his education was going to go. He was always a really intelligent child, and I had to knock on so many doors for him to keep him in main stream.’

Soon, Pauline was a full time stay at home mum to two children, and was pregnant with her third. ‘It seems such a long time ago now, fourteen years actually, but baby number three came along, our daughter Juliet, and life became very hectic.’

‘I was always very conscious of Cian though, that he didn’t interact well with other kids, and I wanted to find ways to help him. So we started to make cookies! I had always loved baking, and my fondest memories are of baking with my dad on a Sunday morning.’

She watched with joy as Cian thrived in the kneading and shaping, and realised it also taught him vital life skills, such was knowing he had to wait for the cookies to bake, and then cool.

‘I made plain cookie dough initially, and we just got stuck in with our hands mixing it and then cutting out the shapes. He really got something from it, so we started doing it every Saturday!’

‘We were enjoying it that much we ended up with too many to eat, so we started dropping them off with family.’

Such was the popularity of the fresh homemade cookies that Pauline began to receive requests for the cookies, with people offering to pay.

‘KooKee really all started from there, and I realised that it was giving me a new lease of life.’ In the meantime, Pauline and her husband Damian welcomed their fourth child into what was becoming an increasingly busy household.

‘We were setting up the business entirely from scratch, and running it from designated area at our home. But I just loved it, and soon we got our first spot at the Taste of Louth exhibition, and our first customer signed up.’

They started small, she adds, getting their KooKee range into a few cafes in Dundalk, where their popularity with customers soon soared.

‘ There were requests coming in for orders from people who had tasted them in a cafe and loved them.’

The couple came up with the idea to create a frozen mix where cafes could bake them in house, offering that ‘just basked’ taste sensation that the KooKee range has become synonomous with.

‘From there, we asked ourselves why not try offering dry mixes, so that anyone can make them at home, and enjoy baking cookies themselves or with their children.’

She adds ‘we can’t really offer enough praise to the ‘ Taste of Louth’ exhibition, it really was a brilliant way to get our product out there and letting people know who we were.’

In the last few years, the Dundalk couple have gone on to win several awards for their KooKee range, receiving high praise for the incredible charm of their delicious homemade cookies.

The first really major step into the commercial world for KooKee was securing their product on offer in SuperValu stores across the North East.

‘ That was about six years ago now, and it’s been an incredible journey, with a young family in tow. It hasn’t been easy at times, and there were lots of challenges along the way, but we’ve all been in this together as a family, the kids a really big part of it.’

They continue to run the business from their Dundalk home in a fully designated and approved area, for now, with some consideration of expansion in the future.

‘We have worked really closely with the Environmental Health Officer (EHO) along the way, especially in declaring some products dairy and wheat free, and in ensuring they are available for people who are Coeliac to enjoy.’

Pauline’s own journey with the KooKee range has seen her invited into local schools to speak about entrepreneurship.

‘I really enjoy that, there is great feedback from students. It’s something I hope we can continue to do.’

By 2018, the couple secured a spot at the National Ploughing Championship, where they were chosen to represent Louth.

‘ That was a really fantastic opportunity on a national stage,’ says Pauline.

They next stage for the growing company was applying for the Aldi ‘Grow With It’ scheme for food and drink producers, which they did a number of times before being successful this year.

‘We were shortlisted to the final 46, and saw two of our range, the Spotaí Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix and the Gluten Free Double Chocolate Cookie Mix, rolled out in 142 stores across the country for two weeks.’

‘Aldi were fantastic to work with, they have really encouraged us every step of the way. This gives us our first real national platform. We have a two week window for people to enjoy our products, and we really hope to build on that.’

Whilst they haven’t been immune to the impact of the Covid-19 restrictions, Pauline adds they were fortunate to see home baking become one of the most popular activities for families trying to occupy housebound children over the last few months.

‘ The KooKee range really is very easy for everyone to use at home, mix up and knead the old fashioned away.’

The success of their company hasn’t come without difficulties along the way, she admits. ‘We didn’t go into this thinking we would make millions! There were four children to bring up too, so it was part time a lot of the time.’

The couple also faced the prospect of all four of their children developing sensory or particular needs.

‘ The kids really needed us, and we had to focus on their needs first. So it was a struggle at times juggling a developing business too.’

‘But I’ve always worked, and I enjoy working. I needed a purpose that was outside the home and caring for the kids, and this has really saved me.

‘I think it’s important that the children know mammy works, and I know they are proud of me. They have been a real part of all of this, and we’ve overcome many challenges together.’

‘We’re all very proud of the company, the fact that we are not just another faceless firm, but a real family business.’