In Summer 2019, Eskimo-3 in collaboration with Rude Health Magazine, the official magazine of the Irish association of Health Stores, launched “The Pat Curran Award for Excellence in Customer Service.”

We asked customers and readers to nominate an exceptional person working in an Independent Irish Health Store. The results were overwhelming with nominations coming from every corner of the country.

Pat Curran

The award is presented in memory of one of the founders of PPC Ltd – Pat Curran. Pat was affectionately known as ”The Eskimo Man” for his work in building the brand Eskimo-3 Fish Oil to become the leading Omega-3 product in Ireland. Pat often quoted the old adage; ”if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life”. The objective of this worthwhile award was to celebrate excellence in independent health food shops throughout Ireland.

Congratulations to Teresa Callaghan from Healthy Beings Health Store in Strokestown, who is this year’s winner of The Pat Curran Award. PPC Ltd and Eskimo-3 presented Teresa with The Pat Curran award, a €500 cash prize, and a charitable donation of €500, which Healthy Beings, Strokestown donated to the charity DARA “Tarmonbarry/ Scramogue Defibrillator Group” in County Roscommon. DARA are a voluntary organization, fundraising for the buying and upkeep of defibrillators in the local area.

As a Naturopath, Teresa passionately engages with customers on a daily basis in her Health Food Store, Healthy Beings located in Strokestown, Co.Roscommon. In business since 2008, Teresa is awareof the many benefits and challenges of running your own business in the West of Ireland. No stranger to hard work, Teresa commits much of her time and energy into extensively learning about the products she has to offer so that she can serve the community to the best of her ability. 

“I am truly grateful for this wonderful award and would like to thank all my very dear customers and friends for taking the time to vote for me. Pat Curran was a very special person and I have very fond memories of the fun we shared during his many in-store promotions of Eskimo Oil. He always provided excellent customer service and was a fantastic representative for the Eskimo Oil brand.

I am very proud that after 11 years in business, Healthy Beings continues to serve a wide community beyond it’s local base in Strokestown. To hear people travel great distances to our little health store is very humbling. Of course, it could not be possible without my wonderful and loyal customers, the employees and therapists over the years and of course, my family.  I would also like to extend a huge thank you to Eskimo 3 (PPC) for the award, and for drawing attention to the wonderful work of the many health stores and owners over the years.

Today more than ever, it is essential that we acknowledge the importance of health stores as we too, struggle with a looming VAT hike. Health stores, along with small business are vital to local communities and it is important that we highlight their influence in local areas.”

Teresa received wonderful commendations in her nomination comments such as: “Teresa embodies a warm and welcoming energy which customers can feel the minute they step into into her beautiful store”. “Teresa has an endless amount of knowledge on all things healthy and will always go the extra mile to help her customers.” Another comment read, “Teresa is an incredibly knowledgeable health food store owner who treats each customer with patience and kindness. “She is always willing to go the extra mile to make her customers feel taken care of and shares her years of health knowledge by extending her expertise to each person who comes through the door in order to help them find exactly what they need. She’s a prime candidate for this award.”

Olive Curran, Marketing Director PPC Ltd says ”Teresa is an exceptional lady who is clearly truly passionate about customer service and the natural health industry. Her customers and colleagues speak highly of he rand Eskimo-3 are thrilled to present Teresa with the Pat Curran Award for excellence in customer service. 

About Healthy Beings Health Store

Healthy Beings Health Store & Holistic Centre was opened in 2008. Having completed a course in Naturopathic Nutrition with ICIM and a ‘Start your own Business’ course , Teresa decided to take the next step an open her own Health Food Store in her local town, Strokestown. It is ideally located in the centre of the town on Elphin Street, where there is a great availability for parking.

The store offers many services including alternative and holistic wellness therapies such as reflexology, allergy testing, nutritional therapy and food intolerance testing. Other services include chiropody/podiatry, bio-energy and there are also weekly yoga and mindfulness  classes held at Healthy Beings.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote for their favourite health store staff member.