McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal
An Irish oatmeal brand best known for steel-cut oats and a long export history in Ireland and North America.
Last updated October 30, 2026
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Overview
McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal is an Irish oatmeal brand associated especially with steel-cut oats, a form of oatmeal made by cutting whole oat groats rather than flattening them into rolled oats. The resulting product has a visibly coarse grain and a firmer, more substantial texture when cooked. The brand's history is tied to the McCann family milling business in County Meath and Drogheda, Ireland, and extends across more than two centuries of Irish cereal production and international trade. The business traces its origins to 1800, when John McCann built a mill at Beamond in County Meath near Drogheda. During the nineteenth century, John McCann's Irish Oatmeal received several international prizes for product quality. The company also developed an export business, with a substantial share of its oatmeal shipped to the United States. In 1896, John McCann Jr. merged the business with R. R. Hill of Drogheda. The Beamond Mill closed two years later, in 1898, after which the company moved its operations to Merchant's Quay in Drogheda. During the twentieth century, McCann's expanded its overseas distribution, particularly in the United States and Canada. The business remained family-owned until 1964, when the Odlums Group acquired it. Odlums subsequently transferred production to its oatmeal mill in Sallins, County Kildare, a facility that had been operating since 1910. This change connected the McCann's brand to a larger Irish milling organization while retaining its association with Irish oatmeal and traditional cereal processing. Ownership later moved outside the Odlums group. In 2008, Sturm Foods acquired the McCann's Irish Oatmeal brand from Odlums, which was then wholly owned by Origin Enterprises. TreeHouse Foods acquired the brand in 2010 through its purchase of Sturm Foods. In July 2018, TreeHouse Foods sold McCann's to B&G Foods for $32 million. B&G Foods therefore became the brand's current owner according to the documented ownership history. Although the brand name is most closely identified with traditional steel-cut Irish oatmeal, McCann's has also been used on related oat products. These include quick-cooking steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and instant rolled oats offered in multiple flavors. The portfolio consequently spans both the traditional preparation associated with the brand and more convenient formats intended to reduce cooking time. McCann's is sold internationally, with a particularly documented presence in Ireland, the United States, and Canada. Its market identity rests on Irish origin, oatmeal specialization, steel-cut preparation, and continuity through successive corporate owners rather than on a single independent family enterprise today.
History
McCann's Irish Oatmeal originated in the Irish milling business established by John McCann in 1800. John McCann built a mill at Beamond in County Meath, near Drogheda. The business became known for the quality of its oatmeal, winning several international prizes during the nineteenth century. Its products were exported beyond Ireland, notably to the United States, establishing an international commercial identity relatively early in the brand's history. In 1896, John McCann Jr. merged the company with R. R. Hill of Drogheda. The Beamond Mill closed in 1898, and the business moved to Merchant's Quay in Drogheda. During the twentieth century, McCann's increased its oatmeal exports, particularly to the United States and Canada. The business remained family-owned until 1964, when the Odlums Group acquired it. Odlums moved production to its oatmeal mill in Sallins, County Kildare. That mill had been operating since 1910, making the transfer a continuation of production within an established Irish milling facility rather than the creation of a new plant. The brand changed ownership several times in the twenty-first century. In 2008, Sturm Foods bought McCann's Irish Oatmeal from Odlums, by then a wholly owned subsidiary of Origin Enterprises. TreeHouse Foods acquired Sturm Foods on March 2, 2010, and McCann's became part of TreeHouse's branded food portfolio. On July 16, 2018, TreeHouse Foods sold the brand to B&G Foods for $32 million. McCann's is primarily identified with steel-cut oats. Unlike rolled oats, steel-cut oats are produced by cutting whole oat groats into pieces, giving the cooked oatmeal a more granular and hearty texture. The brand's range has also extended beyond its traditional product to include quick steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and instant rolled oats in several flavors. This combination allows McCann's to retain an association with traditional Irish oatmeal while serving consumers seeking shorter preparation times and flavored convenience products. The brand is documented as being sold internationally, with Ireland, the United States, and Canada forming important markets in its historical distribution.
- 2018
B&G Foods acquires McCann's
[1]B&G Foods purchased the brand from TreeHouse Foods on July 16 for $32 million.
- 2010
TreeHouse Foods acquires Sturm Foods
[1]TreeHouse Foods acquired Sturm Foods on March 2, bringing McCann's into its portfolio.
- 2008
Sturm Foods acquires the brand
[1]Sturm Foods acquired McCann's Irish Oatmeal from Odlums.
- 1964
Odlums acquires the family-owned business
[1]The Odlums Group acquired McCann's and transferred production to its oatmeal mill in Sallins, County Kildare.
- 1898
Operations move from Beamond
[1]The Beamond Mill closed, and the company moved to Merchant's Quay in Drogheda.
- 1896
Merger with R. R. Hill
[1]John McCann Jr. merged the business with R. R. Hill of Drogheda.
- 1800
John McCann establishes a mill at Beamond
[1]John McCann built a mill at Beamond in County Meath near Drogheda, establishing the business from which the McCann's oatmeal brand developed.
Products and positioning
An Irish-origin oatmeal brand positioned around steel-cut preparation, traditional milling heritage, recognizable product texture, and broad international availability.
Steel-cut oatmeal
McCann's Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal
The brand's signature product is made from steel-cut oats rather than rolled oats. The oat groats are cut into pieces, producing a coarse grain and a hearty cooked texture associated with traditional Irish oatmeal.
Quick-cooking oatmeal
McCann's Quick Steel Cut Oats
A quicker-preparation variation of the brand's steel-cut oatmeal. It retains the steel-cut product identity while addressing the longer cooking time normally associated with traditional steel-cut oats.
Rolled oats
McCann's Instant Rolled Oats
Rolled oats extend the McCann's range beyond its signature steel-cut format. The product is part of the brand's broader oatmeal portfolio and uses a preparation distinct from the cut-oat format for which McCann's is best known. Instant rolled oats provide a convenience-oriented format under the McCann's name. The range has been offered in multiple flavors, broadening the brand from traditional oatmeal into faster-preparation breakfast products.
Brand decisions
2018
Sale of McCann's to B&G FoodsM&ABackground
TreeHouse Foods owned the McCann's brand after its acquisition of Sturm Foods.
Action taken
TreeHouse Foods sold McCann's to B&G Foods on July 16, 2018.
Aftermath
B&G Foods became the documented owner of the brand.
Acquisition price. $32 million (July 16, 2018 transaction)
2010
TreeHouse Foods acquisition of Sturm FoodsM&ABackground
Sturm Foods owned the McCann's Irish Oatmeal brand after acquiring it from Odlums.
Action taken
TreeHouse Foods acquired Sturm Foods on March 2, 2010.
Aftermath
McCann's became part of TreeHouse Foods' branded food business.
2008
Sturm Foods acquisitionM&ABackground
Odlums, then a wholly owned subsidiary of Origin Enterprises, owned the McCann's Irish Oatmeal brand.
Action taken
Sturm Foods acquired the brand from Odlums.
Aftermath
McCann's entered the Sturm Foods portfolio before moving to TreeHouse Foods two years later.
1964
Odlums acquisition and production transferM&ABackground
McCann's was a family-owned oatmeal business with an established export history when the Odlums Group acquired it.
Action taken
Odlums acquired the business and transferred production to its oatmeal mill in Sallins, County Kildare.
Aftermath
The brand continued under larger-group ownership and remained connected to Irish oatmeal production.
Recent events
- 2018
B&G Foods purchases McCann's brand from TreeHouse Foods[1]
M&A
TreeHouse Foods sold the McCann's brand to B&G Foods on July 16, 2018, for $32 million.
- 2010
TreeHouse Foods acquires Sturm Foods and McCann's[1]
M&A
TreeHouse Foods acquired Sturm Foods on March 2, 2010, bringing the McCann's Irish Oatmeal brand into the TreeHouse portfolio.
- 2008
Sturm Foods acquires McCann's Irish Oatmeal brand from Odlums[1]
M&A
Sturm Foods acquired the McCann's Irish Oatmeal brand from Odlums, which was then a wholly owned subsidiary of Origin Enterprises.
Sources1 sources
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