“Fibre frenzy” and the Wholefood movement

According to the internet: “The 2026 food trend for fibre centers on a "fibre frenzy," moving beyond protein to focus on gut health, with pulses (beans, lentils, chickpeas) starring in everything from pastas and soups to snacks, while whole grains, vegetables, seeds (chia, flax), and fermented foods also gain prominence, driven by consumer demand for nutrient-dense, satisfying, and sustainable options.” ‘Wholefood experts’ expect to see fibre incorporated into everyday meals through "slop bowls," protein bowls, and functional foods, often paired with protein as the push for better digestion and fullness is only growing stronger.

We want to put that into perspective here and give credit to the pioneers of the Wholefood movement as we see it and have experienced since moving here in 1985, having been part of the wholefood movement in Germany from the early 1980s.

Pioneer No. 1: The Hopsack

The Hopsack is one of Ireland’s longest and best-established health stores. It was established in 1979 by Jimmy and Erica Murray and has evolved to become one of Dublin’s best sources for organic, fairly traded, ethnic and special dietary foods.

Jimmy and Erica’s commitment to living an informed and healthy lifestyle has manifested itself in a shop that has an ongoing dedication to education and advice. The shop is now run by the second generation of Murrays, Finn and Kate, who after the untimely death of their father jumped in to take the shop into the 21st century. While Erica is still very much involved in the business, Jimmy’s spirit of engaging with the local community and encouraging customers to take responsibility for their health back from the conventional medical pathway lives on and will be fostered well into the future as we continue to push against the tide of increasing over-regulation of complementary and alternative therapies. (from their website)

Pioneer No. 2: Tír na nÓg- Land of the young

Back in Sligo Town the brother and sister duo of John and Mary McDonnell started Tir na Nog at Easter 1980, one of the first ever Health Food Stores in Ireland. We wrote previously: “It is Ireland 1980. Imagine you are 25, that your parents had emigrated from Sligo and Mayo, and that you longed to return. "I was innocent" says Mary, of her plan to open a vegetarian cafe and health food shop in Sligo town. Yes, read it again and let it sink in! It was a very different time, with no mobile phones and no bottled water. But Ireland was on the cusp of change, and anything seemed possible then.

Tir na Nog – The Melting Pot

In 1985 they still ran a Coffee shop upstairs. They had a cheese counter in earlier times and sold their own bread, baked in the bakery next door. Mary sold our first ever sourdough rye bread in 1987. They even had a grain mill to mill fresh flour for customers, revolutionary at that time.

From the start Tir na Nog had and still has a huge range of locally produced fresh vegetables. They always try to be up to date with the newest trends. From wheatgrass when it was more popular to fermented vegetables and drinks right now. For 42 years Tir na Nog supported and championed local producers and gave them an outlet. Farmers and growers could trust their produce was looked after and promoted well by staff who knew.

John and Sally McKenna, who’s own story is closely linked to Tir na Nog sumit up here: “In 1989, at the very beginning of our journey describing Ireland’s food culture, discovering Tir na nog was, for us, an aleph: it showed us everything that could be achieved by a network of artisans who congregated around a central outlet created by dynamic, passionate people, in this case Mary, John and Nora is Tir na Nog. The shop was revolutionary, and had re-thought every aspect of sourcing and selling food. In that regard, Tir na Nog is one of the most important catalysts in the history of Irish artisan food.”

Pioneer No. 3: Wholefoods Wholesale

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.