Producers from the Food Academy Programme, which is run by the Local Enterprise Offices, Bord Bia and SuperValu, currently employ 1,131 people in the retail market, with that number expected to rise to just over 1,500 in the next 12 months, according to a survey by the Local Enterprise Offices.
Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD met with producers from Cork, Donegal, Limerick, Kildare, Westmeath, Galway, Tipperary and Dublin at a Food Academy Start showcase in Dublin’s City Hall yesterday, where she encouraged more ‘early-stage’ food and drink producers to apply for the programme. "
The Food Academy Programme has been running very successfully for the last three years by the Local Enterprise Offices in partnership with Bord Bia and SuperValu. This programme has already enabled almost 300 small food businesses to start and grow, creating valuable jobs across every county and region," she said.
Participants in the Food Academy programme receive one-to-one mentoring and also a chance to pitch to have their products trialled in a SuperValu store. Since the programme began in 2013, over 1,100 products have been successfully trialled and are now on sale through the Irish supermarket chain.
Aidan Cotter, the CEO of Bord Bia, highlighted how the programme helps new food producers understand market positioning and USPs; "These small innovative and dynamic food businesses play an important role in Ireland’s agri-food sector both locally and nationally. The producers receive a combination of commercial and marketing insight from Bord Bia as well as expert advice in branding, market research, distribution and business development, which arms them with the tools to strengthen their chances of future success."
Finally, commenting on the announcement, MD of SuperValu, Martin Kelleher added; “As the number one supporter of the Irish food industry, we are committed to sourcing from local suppliers and helping to create the next generation of Irish food entrepreneurs. By supporting these Food Academy producers, we are bringing community-based start-ups to market and providing them with the potential to grow their business as well as providing employment within the local community. We are proud to nurture the energy and passion of these entrepreneurial producers, which in turn contributes to the prosperity of local economies across Ireland.”
© 2016 - Checkout Magazine by Niall Swan
