Packed Aisles at Cork Kerry Food Fair

Packed Aisles at Cork Kerry Food Fair

Left to right: Sam of Cloudberry Bakery, Crisp makers Sandra and John,
Just Food's Deirdre,and Maurice of Ballyhoura Apple.

Fish seemed to be the main theme as I worked my way through the packed aisles of Monday's Cork Kerry Food Fair, that followed the morning’s forum, in the City Hall. Not surprising that the seas featured so much considering that the two counties have such a long coastline between them.

Let’s start in the east, in Youghal where Yawl Bay Seafoods have set a high standard. They are well known for their smoked fish products, especially smoked salmon, but the one I tasted at the City Hall was their Cooked Irish Crab Claws. Very good indeed. Worth watching out for in their distinctive packages, the map of Ireland prominent in the design.

Just across the aisle I met the family behind Beara Seafoods. Their tasty Mussel Bites were going down well with the punters.

Those of you who eat out every now and then will probably have noticed Irish Shellfish Butter in your dish, maybe in the likes of Fenns Quay or The Weir (at the River Lee Hotel) And not just at home. This amazing product is now being used by top chefs abroad, including one that pairs it with snails. Director James Grimes tells me the ingredients are Organic Shellfish, foraged Dillisk and pure Irish grass-fed creamery butter, all 100% natural. Get your hands on some of this amazing and very versatile product.

The well established Ummera Smokery also had a stand where Anthony Cresswell was under pressure trying to keep up with the demands for his products which include smoked fish (such as salmon) and poultry (duck and chicken).

James Grimes of IASC

The fish theme continued even into the cheese stalls, of which there were quite a few. You know, from a previous post, that I’m partial to Carrigaline Cheese and that was convincly confirmed again when I tasted their Dillisk Cheese. Gorgeous stuff. Other top cheeses on show included Coolea, Durrus and Ardsallagh. The region is amazingly blessed with the quantity and quality of its cheesemakers.

And if Munster people love their fish and cheese, they also adore their sweet things. There were cookies with delicious toppings from Sam and her Cloudberry Bakery. You’ll be able to order online soon but in the meantime, their sweet things are available at the Food Emporium in Brown Thomas. Check out their Facebook page for up to date news and other outlets.

Gorgeous offerings too from Midleton's Bite Size (loved their Portuguese Custard Tart), from O’Conaill’s Chocolate of Carrigaline (can recommend that big creamy bar with cranberries!) and also from Killarney Toffee (much more than plain toffee!).

It wouldn't be Ireland without a bag of crisps. Meant to get a pack of Joe’s Farm Crisps in Midleton last Saturday but drove home without them. No forgetting this time and I have a big brown bag of Beetroot, Parsnip and Carrot crisps on the desk alongside me right now. The crisps are grown and cooked by Sandra Burns at Ballycurraginny Farm in Killeagh and the farm has a regular stand in markets such as Mahon and Midleton.

There was a nod also to the healthy side of eating with Bio Salt prominent. This salt, infused with Irish Kelp (can’t get away from the sea!), is said to have 68 per cent less sodium than regular salt. But you’ll have to wait for it as it won't be on sale until September. Had a few tasters in the City Hall and it certainly seems to have much of the flavour of regular salt.

Clockwise from top left: Coolea, Wicked Desserts, Durrus, Bite Size.

And then there was McCarthy’s Natural Dairy and their well known Lemon Labneh. Now, in conjunction with the Rocket Man, they have some different flavours. I particularly enjoyed the pistachio. Check out these and their other nautural products on their Facebook link.

While it was great to see newcomers making their mark, it was a delight also to meet some of the more established producers such as McCarthy Butchers of Kanturk. Timmy proudly told me they are exporting their Biroldo to Germany. Next it will be Italy! McCarthy's were close to On the Pig’s Back and the ever courteous Isabelle Sheridan, one of the ladies of which local food can be so proud.

Another is Deirdre Hilliard, the founder of Just Food in Cobh in 2004. Check out the site to read all about her widely available soups, made from organic produce. The company, with its kitchens in Rushbrooke, is a shining example for many of the newcomers.

I didn't get to all the stands, sometimes the crowds were just too much. Sorry if I didn't reach you but I’m sure we’ll meet up again at a local farmers market or at another fair like this.

After all the talking and walking, it was time for lunch and I found that just across the road in L’Atitude 51 where a hearty smoked salmon sandwich and a bowl of soup (spinach and potato from Horizon Farms) cost a very reasonable seven euro.

Read, in the press release below, how your local food producers is creating jobs, lots of them!

300 JOBS CREATED IN IRISH FOOD STARTUPS

300 New Jobs To Be Created As A Result Of Irish Food Startups Getting Listings In Their Local SuperValu Stores Through Food Academy Start Programme

·      More than 300 jobs are being created in food business startups as a result of the Food Academy Start programme,  a collaborative initiative between the Local Enterprise Offices,  Bord Bia and SuperValu;

read more..

·      Over 200 food business startups and producers who participated in Food Academy Start will supply SuperValu retailers for the first time, generating sales worth €5 million and significant employment this year;

·      Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Simon Coveney, T.D. welcomes the creation of 300 new jobs in the Irish food sector within 12 months, through the Food Academy Start programme.

* * * * *

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Simon Coveney, T.D. today at the Cork and Kerry Food Forum announced that food business startups plan to create 300 new jobs within 12 months, after receiving listings with their local SuperValu stores.

The small food businesses secured the listings following their participation in the Food Academy Start programme, a collaboration between Bord Bia, SuperValu and Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs).  Despite their size, companies have been able to secure listings with SuperValu.    

As stores are independently owned and operated, SuperValu retailers are able to source directly from local suppliers on a one-to-one basis, enabling these start-up food businesses to gain their first retail listings in stores in their community.  SuperValu is also working with the companies involved to get their products listed in a cluster of nearby stores in order to set them on a long term path to supplying their network of 223 stores.

Speaking at the Cork and Kerry Food Forum at City Hall Cork, a showcase of food producers from Cork & Kerry, Minister Coveney stated:

“Ireland’s artisan and specialty food industry is playing a unique and important role in our economic recovery.  This is evidenced today by the dynamic growth in food startups and food production companies. The opportunity to support and drive this growth has been leveraged by development agencies including Bord Bia and Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) in partnership with SuperValu, to ensure that food businesses in Ireland are equipped with the appropriate information, advice and skills to be shelf ready.  These planned 300 jobs are predominantly in enterprises employing fewer than five people, mostly in start-up food businesses in urban and rural areas, and will further enhance the reputation of our food sector nationally and internationally.”

The announcement was made at the largest artisan food market, the Cork and Kerry Food Forum, which hosted a trade conference attended by over 400 food industry representatives, a showcase and food market with tastings and cookery demonstrations for more than 1,000 members of the public, who turned up to support local producers.

Speaking at the event, Martin Kelleher, SuperValu Managing Director, said: “At SuperValu, we are delighted to announce, that through our partnership with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices on the Food Academy Start programme, more than 200 small food businesses will work with their local SuperValu retailers, resulting in sales worth €5 million in the next year and leading to the creation of 300 jobs.”

“This initiative is a natural fit for SuperValu as our stores are independently owned by retailers who have developed a tailored offer for their community.  As a result, they can offer products that are not available in supermarket chains as our retail partners have the freedom to purchase directly from local suppliers.”

“By matching our stores with start-up food businesses in their area, we have been able to assist with the creation of three hundred jobs across Ireland.  This underlines the local multiplier effect of the community retail model, as every time someone shops in our stores, their money goes back into the local economy.”

Welcoming the jobs announcement today, Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia commented “Selection and participation in the Food Academy Start programme provides artisan food producers with direct access to expertise in branding, market research, purchasing, packaging and retail distribution. This invaluable insight helps support small companies through the challenging initial phases of growth and greatly enhances their chances of market success. It is encouraging to see the positive and tangible benefits of the programme resulting in job creation at a local and national level and delivering sales of €5 million.”

“The Local Enterprise Offices have been working closely with food startups and producers on the ground, to directly support these micro-enterprises and help them to grow”, explained Joe Burke, LEO South Cork.  “Today’s Food Forum brings together food producers, Bord Bia, our retail partners SuperValu and the general public, to join together in a celebration of our thriving artisan industry.”

Jason Colbert, Managing Director of Bitesize, added: “The Food Academy Start programme has given me a route to market which otherwise would not have been open to me. The expert retail knowledge and food marketing expertise which SuperValu, Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Boards provide to businesses as part of the programme are key to helping small food businesses get off their feet and grow sustainably. To have the opportunity to work with and supply the SuperValu stores in my area is great for my business and as a result I’ll be employing 5 to 6 more staff members to meet these new orders.”

SuperValu serves over 2.6 million customers every week and now has 223 stores nationwide. 75% of everything on SuperValu’s shelves is sourced or produced in Ireland. SuperValu sources locally wherever possible and purchases almost €2 billion worth of goods from Irish suppliers which help to sustain 30,000 jobs in the Irish economy.  SuperValu was recently recognised as the best promoter of Irish products ahead of any other grocery retailer, according to the ‘Where We Shop 2014’ research study by Checkout and Ignite Research.   

About the Food Academy Start Programme

To help develop Ireland’s artisan industry further, in 2013 Bord Bia, SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Offices joined forces to create ‘Food Academy Start’, a tailored programme which provides a platform for new and early-stage food business owners to develop a commercially viable business.

For the first time, food start-ups regardless of their location have access to a standardized programme of supports throughout the country. Food Academy Start, which is delivered through workshop style training, and supported by SuperValu in the context of retail expertise and providing a route to market, is designed to guide companies from start-up to their first retail listing.

The aim of Food Academy Start is to provide small food businesses with a solid foundation to progress confidently onto the shelves of retailers. SuperValu, recognised as the leading retailer in its support of local producers (ref Checkout magazine survey of 3,000 consumers), is best positioned to help these businesses due to its independent retailer structure. All participants in Food Academy are given the opportunity to pitch their product or idea to a panel of SuperValu representatives including the local SuperValu owner. This panel mentor the businesses and pass on their expertise and advise to allow the participants to make any changes they deem necessary to improve their offer.

Crucially SuperValu also provide successful participants the opportunity to trial their product in their local stores for a period of 12 weeks. This provides a real advantage to small businesses in terms of real retail learning’s, as they are in a position to liaise with the store to gain feedback on their product from both the store staff and consumers. These learning’s and feedback will help the producer to further develop their product, marketing approach, packaging and even distribution logistics.