Taoiseach Enda Kenny today launched the second Food Academy Start programme at the National Ploughing Championships. According to organisers, the scheme will create 150 new jobs across 200 small food businesses.
Food Academy Start is a joint initiative by Bord Bia, SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Offices to help small food producers grow their business from start-up to their first retail listing through a workshop and mentoring system.
At the championships, the Taoiseach met with some of the 85 businesses that have completed the programme and secured retail listings at SuperValu.
Kenny commented, "The Food Academy Start programme is great news for the 200 small companies who will have a chance to participate and grow their business, as the 85 companies here today can attest”.
Martin Kelleher, SuperValu Managing Director, added: “At SuperValu, we are committed to quality and supporting local suppliers – that’s why Food Academy, which gives small businesses a big start, is so important to us. Our independent retail model, whereby stores are independently owned and operated by local entrepreneurs, means that our retailers are uniquely positioned to support small food start-ups as they grow their business”.
© 2014 - Checkout Magazine by Nathan Evans.
