Tiller Launches Certification for Restaurants Championing Irish Produce

Tiller, a new Irish food certification, is inviting restaurants and food businesses to join its founding group ahead of its launch this summer. The certification is designed for businesses that can show real commitment to Irish provenance, from using Irish meat, dairy and eggs to working with independent Irish suppliers and cooking from scratch. 

Rather than acting as a simple marketing badge, Tiller is a meaningful standard for restaurants that want to prove the care, quality and sourcing behind their menus. The Tiller Index will be a meaningful guide for thoughtful dining, making every meal out count, for those with a commitment to celebrating Irish food.

The launch comes as consumer interest in food provenance continues to grow. Research commissioned by Tiller found that 93.6% of diners believe restaurants that prioritise Irish produce should be recognised or certified, while 91.6% want more information on menus about where ingredients come from. The research also found that 67.5% of diners would choose a restaurant using predominantly Irish or local ingredients over one that does not, and 71.9% would be willing to pay more for a meal made with Irish ingredients.

The findings also revealed a significant gap between consumer assumptions and reality. While 95.8% of diners assume beef and lamb on Irish menus is Irish, only 16.9% make the same assumption about fruit and 61.8% about vegetables, highlighting a growing demand for greater transparency around sourcing.

Unlike self-declared sourcing claims, Tiller certification is independently audited. Restaurants complete a detailed assessment and provide supporting evidence, including invoices and supplier documentation, to verify compliance with the standard. Certification is renewed annually to ensure standards continue to be met.

"Tiller grew from a simple observation," said founder Joe Macken. "There are restaurants across Ireland making a genuine commitment to Irish farmers, fishers and producers, but too often that work is invisible to customers. Tiller is about recognising the businesses doing it right and giving diners confidence in what they're choosing. We're not here to catch anyone out. We're here to make doing the right thing worth something."

Businesses applying should meet Tiller’s core standards, including using Irish beef, lamb, pork and poultry, sourcing Irish cage-free eggs, using Irish fresh dairy products, serving natural bread made in Ireland, preparing food in-house and avoiding plastic packaging where possible.

Tiller was founded by hospitality entrepreneur Joe Macken, whose career spans restaurants, hotels, food production and tourism, and business strategist Mary Healy, who has extensive experience in scaling businesses and operational performance. Together, they created Tiller to provide independent recognition for restaurants and food businesses committed to Irish provenance, quality and transparency.

Tiller is currently offering founding members 25% off their first year when they sign up before 31 July.

For restaurateurs already backing Irish producers, Tiller offers a clear way to show customers what their food stands for and gives diners confidence that Irish sourcing claims have been independently verified.

Find out more at www.tillerindex.com

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