Our Story
Heritage Armagh Bramley Apples from Portadown, County Armagh
A Social Enterprise Rooted in Place
Macha's Orchard is a social enterprise based in Portadown, County Armagh. We started with a clear purpose: to fund community services — particularly for older people and those in need — through the production and sale of heritage Bramley apple products.
Unlike conventional business models, every profit we generate is reinvested back into the community. When you buy from us, you're not funding shareholders — you're supporting people in our local area who need it most.
The Story Behind the Name
The name Armagh itself is derived from the legendary Queen Macha — and it's from her that Macha's Orchard takes its name. Apples have been grown in this part of Armagh long before the advent of Christianity, making our work part of a tradition that stretches back thousands of years.
The landscape here is perfectly suited to apple growing. The drumlins — small oval hills formed during the last Ice Age — create a "basket of eggs" topography where orchards grow on slopes with reduced frost risk. The proximity of Lough Neagh, the UK's largest inland lake, further moderates the climate, producing a microclimate uniquely favourable to apple production. It's little wonder County Armagh has long been known as the Orchard County.
Armagh Bramley Apple — PGI Protected
The Armagh Bramley is a culinary apple that originated in Nottinghamshire in the early 1800s but found its home in County Armagh. Its Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status recognises its unique quality, heritage, and deep connection to this land.
The mild, damp climate of Armagh produces Bramleys with a distinctive sharp flavour, firm flesh, and excellent cooking properties that can't be replicated elsewhere. These are the apples at the heart of everything we make.
The People Behind the Orchard
Joe Garvey
Founder
Joe founded Macha's Orchard as a community-focused social enterprise in Portadown, County Armagh, with the goal of creating a sustainable way to fund community services through heritage Bramley apple products.
Recognition
SENI Awards 2025 — Social Enterprise NI
From Orchard to Product
Our apple powder is made from the peel and cores of Armagh Bramley apples — the nutritious parts that would otherwise go to waste. We gently dehydrate them using closed-loop heat pump dehydrators, keeping energy use low and preserving the apple's natural goodness.
The result is 100% Armagh Bramley apple powder with no preservatives and no additives. Our process is designed to be low-carbon and waste-free — every part of the apple goes into a food product.