One question I’m asked frequently is if I know of any production units that might available to rent. Most people, while they may start off in their home kitchen, want to get out of it as the business starts to take over their space. For others, the house just isn’t an option. One thing is clear though, you need an approved kitchen for food production….unlike these boys we spotted on the street in Croatia!

A number of food units around the country can be rented by the hour, week or longer term. Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs), Councils, the Rural Development Companies and some community and private enterprises have built proper food units finished to food production standard that you can rent – contact your local council, community office or enterprise company to enquire. Bord Bia has published a list of units that can be found on www.bordbiavantage.ie. Its fairly up to date, typos not withstanding (Silgo, really?!)
Here is a selection on the island of Ireland, adapted from a chapter in my book, Money for Jam (2nd Edn):
Northern Ireland
The only Food Business Incubation Centre at the time of writing is situated at Loughry Campus in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. The Centre was opened in 1998 and provides the food supply chain with eight purpose-built food processing factory units finished to the highest standards in two sizes, 175m² and 225m² (www.cafre.ac.uk). There are also plans afoot to build a second food enterprise centre in Armagh;
Republic of Ireland
Connacht
The Food Hub in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim is a shining example. Operational since 2004, the Food Hub provides 26,000 sq. ft. of premium food production space across 14 independent work units and the Community Kitchen is a timeshare production unit where start-up food businesses can make their foods in a fully-equipped kitchen, paying by the hour (currently €15/hour) with no commitment other than to bring your own ingredients (www.thefoodhub.com);
Moy Valley Resources IRD has clients occupying Enterprise Units at a number of locations around Ballina, Co. Mayo, for a mixture of both food and non-food producers (www.moyvalley.ie);
Enterprise Castlerea in Co. Roscommon is currently developing a new facility which will include a kitchen and units to rent, called An Chistin in the Enterprise Hub; (www.castlereaenterprisehub.ie)
Castlehill Foods has a 900 sq. ft. (84m²) kitchen and food production premises available to hire outside Killala, Co. Mayo (contact Clair O’Connor on (087) 652 6065);
Munster
The North Tipperary Food Works in Rearcross, Newport, Co. Tipperary was developed by North Tipperary Food Enterprise Centre (Rearcross) Ltd. An old creamery building was converted into a premium food workspace. There is a timeshare kitchen and production units for rental. At the time of writing, the cost of rental of the timeshare kitchen is €15 per hour + VAT for the fully equipped kitchen which includes gas, water and electricity. The Food Production units cost €550 per month + VAT and as a tenant, you kit them out yourself as well as taking over utility bills (www.northtippfoodworks.ie);
The Limerick Food Centre at Raheen Business Park provides food manufacturing and processing units for commercial letting. Contact Gerry Fitzmaurice, M: +353-86-6380596, T: +353-61-712860, Gerry.Fitzmaurice@shannonproperties.ie(www.shannonproperties.ie);
The Ferbane Food Campus in Co.Offaly opened in 2003. Contact Donal Egan, Business Development Manager, Mobile: 085 877 6098 Tel: 090 6453926 Email: donal@ferbanefoodcampus.ie www.ferbanefoodcampus.ie
Cork County Council operates Cork Incubator Kitchens and can be contacted via www.corkincubatorkitchens.ie
Leinster
Nutgrove Enterprise Park, Dublin has two high-spec food production units, each 59.45m² with own-door ground floor access and parking (www.nutgrove-enterprisepark.ie / info@dlrceb.ie);
SPADE Enterprise Centre is a community-based enterprise centre in the converted St. Paul’s Church at North King Street, Dublin (contact Susan Richardson, Centre Manager, (01) 617 4830 www.spade.ie);
Terenure Enterprise Centre (Dublin) has 3 fully-serviced food units (01) 490 3237 / www.terenure-enterprise.ie;
Hour Kitchen is a well equipped facility in Churchtown, Dublin 14.Tel. +353 1 298 0839; E-mail. info@hourkitchen.ie
In Kilkenny, The School of Food offers a commercial Kitchen for small or growing food businesses, professional Chefs or home Cooks to rent on a daily basis. Costs are €90 + VAT @ 23% per day or €45 + VAT @ 23% per half day and includeWaste, Electricity, Sanitizing Solution for Cleaning, Gas, Cleaning Equipment. Contact them at https://schooloffood.ie/incubation-kitchen
Newmarket Kitchen has opened in Bray. Co.Wicklow and offers shared kitchen space on a membership basis. Full details are available on www.newmarketkitchen.ie
Ulster
Údarás na Gaeltachta has three food units in Co. Donegal (www.udaras.ie);