General Information
| Bord Bia for general industry information and for small food businesses and start ups |
www.bordbia.ie www.bordbiavantage.ie |
| Campden BRI provides technical support to the food, drinks and allied industries. Membership fee gets discounts. Good food law alert system for members | www.campden.co.uk |
| DairyCo is a levy-funded, not-for-profit organisation working on behalf of dairy farmers in the UK | www.dairyco.org.uk |
| Fáilte Ireland for food tourism |
www.failteireland.ie |
Funding
We have lots of experience and success applying for funding from the following, and we can help you apply:
InterTradeIreland www.intertradeireland.com - FUSION programme
Enterprise Ireland www.enterprise-ireland.com - Innovation Partnerships and Innovation Vouchers
Your Local Enterprise Office www.localenterprise.ie - Feasibility and other funding measures
There is a great new website from the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation www.actionplanforjobs.ie which helps you to identify which funding measures may be suitable for your business,
Food and other Awards Competitions
| UK Great Taste Awards – all categories of food | www.greattasteawards.co.uk |
|
www.finefoodworld.co.uk |
|
| Blas na hEireann | www.irishfoodawards.com |
| Good Food Ireland | www.goodfoodireland.ie |
| EuroToques (chefs) – has awards for food producers, see under Activities |
www.euro-toques.ie |
| The National County Enterprise Awards are run every year – contact your local office |
www.localenterprise.ie |
| Brand Bursary from Bord Bia; | www.bordbia.ie |
| Craft Butchers of Ireland Awards | |
| Fins Goustiers du Duché d’Alençon European Championships for sausages and puddings |
www.finsgoustiers.com/the-european-championship |
| British Cheese awards as part of the Great Taste Awards |
www.greattasteawards.co.uk |
| World Cheese Awards | www.worldcheeseawards.com |
| Annual award from the Irish Food Writers Guild | www.irishfoodwritersguild.ie |
| Food & Wine magazine awards (producers category) | |
| Irish Restaurant Association awards (producers category) | http://www.irishrestaurantawards.com |
| Women Mean Business run an annual competition for female entrepreneurs; | http://www.womenmeanbusiness.com/awards/welcome/ |
| Organisations & Associations Food Industry Training Unit, College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, University College Cork. |
Phone: +353 21 4903363
E-mail: m.mccarthybuckley@ucc.ie |
| Food Safety Authority of Ireland produces the Guide to Food Law for Artisan/ Small Food Producers Starting a New Business, available to download, as well as very many other publications |
www.fsai.ie |
| HSE / Environmental Health Officers |
www.hse.ie www.ehoa.ie |
| Local Enterprise Offices | www.localenterprise.ie |
| Leatherhead Food Research Association (UK) | www.leatherheadfood.com |
| Producer groups and Networks, such as GIY and The Beekeepers Association |
www.giy.ie www.irishbeekeeping.ie |
| SafeFood | www.safefood.eu |
| Skillnets for training, search for Food & Drink Skillnets which has funding for training courses | www.skillnets.ie |
| St. Angela’s Food Technology Centre, Sligo for training, product development, mentoring and more | www.thefoodcentre.ie |
| Teagasc for training and advice again especially for farm based food businesses | www.teagasc.ie |
| The Irish Farmers Association | www.ifa.ie |
| The Organic Centre for training and advice; | www.organiccentre.ie |
Other Book Recommendations
| “Starting with Ducks” by Katie Thear |
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Starting-Ducks-Katie-Thear/dp/0906137306 |
Starting Your Own Business Workbook, by Brian O'Kane (Author), Ron Immink (Author), widely available
Useful Websites
The Best Indeed - the Complete Guide for Icecream Enthusiasts!
Do You Need a Speaker for Your Next Event?
Oonagh is an engaging and enthusiastic speaker, and is available to talk about food business startup, SME business growth and development, female entrepreneurship, and Innovation & Creativity. Oonagh also encourages others to write and talks about how she commercialised her knowledge by capturing it in a book.
The Essential Guide to Starting Your Own Small Food Business
Now available to order online!
Have you ever thought about trying to earn some money from producing food? Are you the person everyone goes to for their lemon meringue pies, apple tarts and other desserts for family occasions or other events? Do you have a garden of rhubarb or other fruit? Do you make jam every year and give it away when you could be selling it? Do you fancy the idea of making cheese or yogurt or ice cream but don’t know where to start?
If so, then this is the book for you! Learn more ...