Growing Galway Food is inviting small food producers as well as retail and hospitality food buyers to participate in an online survey of food production in Galway as part of its aims to develop a county wide strategy for food in Galway, to contribute to the future development of the sector by fostering cooperation and cohesion amongst food producers and to build relationships between food producers and buyers in the retail, catering and hospitality sectors.
The project which is funded by Galway Rural Development Company, Forum Connemara, Comhair na nOiléan and Galway County Council is the first county and city wide initiative for the small food production sector. The online survey will build a picture of the sector in Galway in terms of both producers and buyers and aims to identify some of the key challenges for small food production as well as the opportunities and strategies needed to grow this sector in the future.
It will also offer producers and buyers an opportunity to register their interest in participating in upcoming events and activities including networking and training events, which will put food producers in contact with local retail outlets, hotels and restaurants who use locally produced food and food products.
Participants will be invited to join a public listing of food businesses including growers, processors, food producers, retail, catering and hospitality which will provide a current and up to date point of reference for businesses and will be invited to register for a trade networking event to be held in March 2014.
This event will allow a wide range of small food producers, be they vegetable growers, lamb producers or cottage industry jam makers, to showcase their products to buyers from larger businesses including caterers, hotels, restaurants and wholesale food producers as well as larger institutions. It is expected that important introductions can be made to develop longer term business relationships.
“This survey is an opportunity for everyone who is interested in the future of food production in Galway to have their opinion heard, whether they are producers of food or buyers of food from the retail or hospitality sector. The results of the survey will assist in the development of a food strategy to support the growth of small food businesses in the city and county,” said a spokesperson for the project team.
Food businesses, growers, producers, bakers, manufacturers, retail, hospitality and catering businesses who are interested in participating in the Growing Galway Food survey should contact Nuala Greenan on 089 4434982 or email [email protected]. The closing date for completion of the survey is 10th February 10 2014.
