Do you know someone abroad who can’t get a decent cup of tea for love nor money? Well, now you can send them exactly what they need, thanks to The Paddy Box.
It’s hard being away from home. The Paddy Box people understand this, that’s why they send parcels of coveted Irish goods to every corner of the world. Thanks to their dedication, Irish people everywhere can tuck into Tayto crisps and purple snack bars, and wash it all down with a lovely cup of Barry’s Tea.
The Paddy Box is no ordinary care package, it is uniquely Irish. Everything about these gift boxes conjure up memories of growing up in Ireland – from their names, like the ‘Not Before Your Dinner’ Box, to their carefully chosen contents, like old school sweets, real Irish breakfast fare, and gobshite mugs.
Spending Christmas abroad doesn’t have to mean missing out on those traditional Irish goodies. The Paddy Christmas Box is full of all the things that will make someone’s Christmas – Tayto crisps, a selection box, Cadbury Roses & Heroes, mince pies, eclairs, Ballymaloe Relish and Barrys Tea.
But the Paddy Box isn’t just for Christmas. With lots of other great care packages, like the Mrs Doyle-inspired ‘Go On Go On’ Box, The Birthday Box and the Irish Brekkie Box, you can keep the Irish emigrant in your life happy all year round.
For Mark Loftus, the man behind The Paddy Box, tapping into the nostalgia of an Irish childhood is important. It’s obviously just as important to the rest of the country too, because business is going very well. When he started sending packages in November 2017 from his mother’s kitchen table, Mark worked 18 hour days to get Christmas Paddy Boxes delivered. The demand took him completely by surprise.
The idea for the business grew from the recession. Mark watched all his friends leave Ireland for jobs abroad and couldn’t help but notice the difficulties involved in sending care packages. He decided there must be an easier way.
Thankfully, Mark’s mother has the use of her kitchen table again, as The Paddy Box has a premises in Dublin now. The company is busier than ever, with demand for Christmas boxes up 70% on last year. And why wouldn’t it be? Any Irish person living abroad would be thrilled to get one.
What Do The Irish Abroad Crave Most?
A huge amount of thought and planning goes into the business. Mark and his team do lots of research to find out what people want when they’re away from Ireland. So, what are the most popular items? Tayto crisps, of course – they go into almost every box. Purple Snacks are also “insanely popular” according to Mark.
Other popular items include Ballymaloe Relish, Dairymilk bars, Eclairs, Mikados and of course, good old Irish tea. Paddy Box customers can choose between Barry’s or Lyons, so we can finally put that age-old argument to rest. Yes folks, Barry’s Tea really is more popular.
The top three countries for Paddy Box deliveries are Australia, the U.S. and Canada. Dubai, the U.K., New Zealand and mainland Europe are also popular. But the Paddy Box team will delivery anywhere. They’ve sent boxes to 111 countries, even managing to deliver to Syria – although according to Mark, that one was a bit of a challenge.
Paddy Box love to keep their customers happy, so hearing feedback on what their boxes should contain is important. According to Mark, someone recently asked them for Club Orange and Rock Shandy, which he was happy to provide. The company recently came to the aid of a pregnant lady in the U.K. who couldn’t get her hands on Dairygold butter. Keeping Irish people around the world happy is all in a day’s work for The Paddy Box.
So, go on, go on, go on, order a Paddy Box for the Irish emigrant in your life.