IT ALL began with a tiny veg shop and a dream of helping people to eat more plant-based food.
Twenty years later, The Happy Pear now consists of that same veg shop, along with a cafe and bakery, in Greystones, Co. Wicklow; over 80 plant-based food products (of which they’ve sold 15 million units), over 15 online courses taken by over 100k people, a recipe club, seven cookbooks, a four-acre regenerative organic farm, a coffee roastery, and a social media following of nearly two million.
Steve and Dave are currently on a British and Irish road trip, spreading the plant-based word and launching their new book The Happy Pear 20, containing reimagined old classics and favourites along with with a smattering of stories and lessons learnt during their two decades in the food industry.
The Happy Pear founders Steve and Dave Flynn are on a British and Irish tour with their new bookOver to you, lads; tell us a bit about yourselves and what you do.
Fun fact, I (Dave) am right-handed and right-footed, and Steve is left-handed and left-footed.
We call ourselves ‘plant-pushers’ and have spent the last 20 years doing everything we can to inspire people to eat more plants and live healthier, happier lives.
Take us back to the beginning – what were you up to before The Happy Pear took over your lives?
After finishing school in 1998, we went to university to study business - not out of any deep passion, but because our dad suggested it was ‘general enough’ to be useful.
Post-college, we knew one thing: we definitely didn’t want a ‘real’ job.
We took on whatever odd jobs we could to fund our travels — working in restaurants, pubs, golf clubs, video shops, petrol stations, and even a hospital.
We also managed to get fired from most of them — not out of rebellion, just sheer absent-mindedness. Sometimes, we’d simply forget to show up!
What was it like growing up in Co. Wicklow, and what kind of food did you eat?
We grew up in Greystones, with the Wicklow Mountains behind us and Bray Head to the north. Back then, it was a sleepy little place with no real food scene to speak of.
We were the eldest of four boys and went to all-boys schools, so everything was a competition — sport, eating, even who could get to the dinner table first! Food, for us, was purely fuel.
We played every sport under the sun, from rugby to golf (we played off scratch) and even baseball for Ireland. It wasn’t until much later that food became something more than just a way to fill up before the next match.
Interestingly, Greystones has twice won the award for the most liveable community in the world (for towns under 20,000 people). It’s an incredible place to call home.
What sparked your interest in food, particularly plant-based eating?
In 2002, we both set off traveling to see if there was more to life than just getting a job.
We went separately — Steve headed to Whistler, Canada, to become a snowboard instructor, while I (Dave) went to South Africa to train as a golf pro.
Somewhere along the way, we both had a massive awakening around food.
We got obsessed with plant-based eating—not just for personal health but for the planet too.
It felt like we had stumbled upon something that made complete sense.
Your travels exposed you to different food cultures — what left the biggest impression?
For me, it was Guatemala, in a small mountain town by Lago Atitlán, known as ‘the land of eternal spring’.
The climate was perfect—avocados, mangos, and coffee trees grew in abundance.
I met an incredible 90-year-old woman, Maria, who had more vitality than anyone I’d ever seen.
She worked in her garden daily, growing her own veg, and regularly climbed up the volcanoes to gather ripe mangoes and avocados.
Her energy and lifestyle had a profound impact on me—it was living proof of how simple, plant-rich eating could fuel a long, vibrant life.
The Flynns, pictured in their greenhouseHow did The Happy Pear come about, and why ‘Pear’?
We’ve always been a pair — identical twins, inseparable, always up to something together.
And when we opened a fruit and veg shop, selling pears, the pun was too good to resist: The Happy Pear / Pair!
At its core, The Happy Pear was about sharing what had changed our lives. We had transitioned to a plant-based diet and felt amazing.
We saw how food could improve our health, the environment, and even how we felt emotionally.
We wanted to create something that would inspire as many people as possible to eat more veg and experience those benefits for themselves.
How did the locals react when you first opened?
They thought we had lost the plot! Before we went traveling, we had this reputation as ‘the Flynn twins who were going places’ - ambitious, career-driven lads.
Then we came back two years later, opening a veg shop and preaching about the joys of broccoli.
We had long hair, dressed like hippies, and were all about spreading positivity and eating whole foods. People were definitely suspicious at first!
How has the business grown in the last 20 years?
From that little veg shop, The Happy Pear has grown into something we never could have imagined.
We’ve sold over 20 million food products across Ireland; our seven cookbooks have sold over 500,000 copies worldwide; we now have two organic farms, a 4-acre regenerative farm and a microgreens farm; our recipe app and online courses have helped over 100,000 people eat more whole, plant-based foods, andour social media community has grown to over two million people, with nearly one million Instagram followers.
Every arm of the business is centred around one mission: helping people eat more veg and live healthier, happier lives.
You say you want a food revolution—what’s your ultimate mission?
It’s simple: Eat more veg!
Food is powerful. It directly impacts your health, your energy, and your mood. Our mission is to help people make small, joyful shifts in their diet—because when you feel good, everything else in life gets better too.
The Flynn's new bookTell us about The Happy Pear 20 cookbook.
It’s a celebration of the last 20 years. The book is packed with our most loved recipes from two decades of cooking; stories, lessons, and reflections from our journey so far; fun lists such as 20 foods we couldn’t live without, and 20 dreams for the future.
It’s more than just a cookbook—it’s a book full of heart, joy, and (of course) delicious plant-based food.
Any favourite recipes?
The heartwarming dahl on page 143 is a staple in both our homes.
And we love the ‘Dinners Our Kids Actually Eat’ chapter—those meals are on repeat. For something sweet, our five-ingredient chocolate salted peanut butter caramel tar tis an absolute winner.
A dish you cook all the time at home?
A simple red lentil dahl with fresh veg from the farm — comforting, nutritious, and packed with flavour.
How does the Irish food scene compare to Britain’s?
It’s catching up fast. Ireland has some truly incredible producers and chefs who prioritise quality, local ingredients.
That said, the UK’s sheer size and diversity means there are just more options, especially for plant-based food.
Favourite restaurants on either side of the Irish Sea?
We have to say our own Supper Club. We host it twice a month, creating menus based on seasonal produce from our farm. We’ve done everything from Mexican to Brazilian nights, and it’s always an amazing experience.
In Britain, we love Holy Carrot in Portobello Road and Plants in Mayfair.
Finally, why should people eat more plant-based food?
Because it’s the single most impactful thing you can do — for your health, for the planet, and for your overall energy and wellbeing.
It doesn’t have to be all-or-nothing: start small.
Switch cornflakes for porridge, add chickpeas to your curry, or make a simple homemade veg soup.
The little changes add up, and your body (and the planet) will thank you for it.
The Happy Pear 20 by David and Stephen Flynn is published by Gill Books at £23.99
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