A good Irish pub becomes somewhere people return to: for a match with friends, a hearty weekend breakfast or a pint after work. The atmosphere gives your venue its character. What you serve completes the experience.

Opening an Irish pub in the Netherlands? Your food menu, drinks list and purchasing decisions come together early on. Which favourites belong on the menu? What will fit your kitchen and storage space? And where can you find a supplier for the British and Irish products you want to serve?

Green Acres supplies food, drinks and hospitality essentials to trade customers, with a specialism in British and Irish products. Here are some practical considerations for putting together your opening range.

Start with the kind of pub you want to run

A pub built around sport and drinks needs a different range from one serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Think about when you want to welcome guests. Will the kitchen open in the morning? Do you need to serve food quickly during matches? Or will a full pub meal be a reason for people to book a table?

Those decisions help you buy with purpose. Every dish requires ingredients, storage and preparation. A manageable menu that your team can deliver well gives you a clear starting point. You can expand once you know what brings people back.

Make room for familiar favourites

If you plan to serve breakfast, an Irish breakfast is a recognisable place to start. Think bacon, sausages, black and white pudding, beans and bread, alongside eggs and the other elements of your own recipe.

A compact selection can also work throughout the day. Pies, burgers and bar snacks give you options for a meal or something alongside a drink. Look for ingredients that work across dishes: the same relish could accompany a burger and feature in a sandwich.

Remember the smaller touches. A familiar tea, a particular sauce or the right relish can be just as recognisable to guests who know the product as the main dish.

Give each drink a place on the menu

Stout is a natural choice for an Irish pub, but your guests will not all order the same thing. Consider lager, cider, soft drinks and alcohol-free options too.

Give each choice a clear purpose. What will be your house favourite? Which cider suits your customers? And what can you offer someone who wants a good evening out without drinking alcohol?

Green Acres supplies Guinness products, Magners and Kopparberg, among other brands. Check the available formats and pack sizes for each product. For kegs, establish compatibility with your draught system and any technical support you will need before ordering.

Glassware deserves attention too. Include glasses, bar supplies and other serving essentials in your opening list.

Choose pack sizes that suit your venue

Buying for a new pub involves more than comparing the price per case. How quickly do you expect to sell a product? How much fridge and freezer space do you have? And how many different ingredients can your kitchen realistically handle?

Compare quantities, portion yields and storage instructions as well. A larger pack may make sense when you have enough demand. A smaller quantity may suit a product you are trying for the first time.

Separate your opening stock into core products and items with less predictable demand. This leaves room to adjust your range after the first few weeks.

Find a supplier who understands your range

British and Irish products can be central to your pub’s identity. Being able to buy those specialities alongside other kitchen and bar essentials can make purchasing easier.

Green Acres combines a British and Irish specialism with a broad range of food, drinks and hospitality supplies. Brands include Barry’s Tea, Ballymaloe, Clonakilty, Magners and Kopparberg, alongside other products for day-to-day service.

Looking for a particular format or something you know from Ireland or the UK? Let us know the brand and pack size you want, so we can check what is available in our range.

Discuss your first order before opening week

The final days before opening are busy enough. Discuss your first purchasing list early and have the practical delivery details ready.

These include your planned opening date, delivery address, access arrangements and who will receive the order. In Amsterdam, limited space around your premises may need particular attention; clear delivery arrangements matter elsewhere too.

Discuss availability and possible alternatives for your chosen products. You can then plan your opening menu around what you can actually buy.

Opening an Irish pub? Tell Green Acres about your plans

Whether you are opening a new Irish pub, taking over an existing venue or refreshing your menu, we are happy to discuss the products for your kitchen and bar.

Explore our full range and put together your first selection. To see prices and place orders, apply for a trade account. Once approved, you will have access to our B2B webshop.

Tell us what kind of pub you want to open. We can then explore the range that fits your plans.