Waitrose to distribute Cool Beans protein packs

Cool Beans, an Irish meal-maker, has signed a deal to distribute its products in Waitrose. Its protein-packed beany meals will be available in a pot across 135 Waitrose stores in the UK.

The move will allow supermarket consumers across the country to join in the #BeanRevolution after the United Nations declared 2016 as the International Year of the Pulse in an attempt to recognise the "super food" category which includes beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils.

The Irish company's food products are free from additives, gluten and refined sugars. They will be available in two flavours – tomato and chilli.

To add to the increasing local sales, co-founders Sarah O'Connor and Isolde Johnson aimed to target the export market. On signing the first international deal with Waitrose, O'Connor said. "It doubled our business overnight".

The Irish company had to make many small changes to its products in order to secure the deal with Waitrose. In two months, Cool Beans met the grocer's requirement of smaller pots and higher bean content. By November 2015, the products were ready for distribution, according to The Telegraph.

O'Connor said "the size of the prize is much bigger in the UK", while appreciating the support programmes of the UK supermarket chain.

Cool Beans started in 2013 with the slogan "food is fuel". Its first retail product was launched in September 2014 after testing it at a music festival in Ireland. In 12 months, its revenues increased by 1000% and the company listed its shares in Ireland.