The hugely successful Food Academy programme is now open for budding food and drink entrepreneurs in Westmeath.
The programme, which is run by Local Enterprise Office Westmeath in partnership with SuperValu and Bord Bia, is now open for applications until June 26, for its latest intake.
The Food Academy programme was established in 2013 to support early stage food and drink producers and small food businesses who are just starting out. The applicants are trained through their Local Enterprise Office with expertise from Bord Bia and the opportunity at the end of the programme to graduate onto the shelves of their local SuperValu, getting a potential listing in one of Ireland’s biggest retailers.
Participants on the programme receive training in market research, branding and the consumer, food safety, marketing and social media, finance and growing your business. The programme has graduated many well-known food and drink brands since it began seven years ago including the likes of The Happy Pear, Strong Roots, Dr. Coy’s Health Foods, Absolute Nutrition, Solaris Tea and Hope Beer.
The county has seen several Food Academy success stories, including Kilbeggan Organic Foods and Mo Bhia Duit.
Since the Food Academy began, producers that have come through the programme have sold approximately €140million worth of produce and supported 1,500 jobs across the country.
“We have a proud tradition of quality food and drink producers in the county. There is now a very defined path that those with ambitions to become food entrepreneurs can follow through the Digital School of Food, through to Food Starter and Food Academy. Food and drinks producers contribute hugely to our local economy through sales and also supporting jobs. Food Academy has shown that it can bring the very best out of up and coming food businesses so if you are starting out and want to give your business a great chance and the opportunity to secure a listing at one of Ireland’s largest retailers then this is the way to go,” Christine Charlton, Head of Enterprise in Local Enterprise Office Westmeath, commented.
The Food Academy programme is one of the food enterprise supports available through your Local Enterprise Office. These supports also include the Digital School of Food, which enables food entrepreneurs develop their food business idea, along with Food Starter that gives them the expertise and guidance to make those first steps into creating a new food or drink business.
To apply for Food Academy, contact your Local Enterprise Office before June 26 or log onto www.LocalEnterprise.ie for more details.
