Local Enterprise Office teams up with SuperValu for another Food Academy to give Waterford Food Producers a helping hand
Local producers from throughout Waterford had their opportunity to pitch to the Retailer recently, as part of their participation in the most recent Food Academy Programme. Here nine companies from start-ups to those who have been around for a while got to pitch their products to SuperValu buyers and retailers, gaining valuable feedback and input in return, along with a possible opportunity to have their products showcased in-store in Waterford in the future. .
FullFill Co., Tastefully Yours, Blackwater Distillery, Dessert First, Meadowfresh, Simplí, Glorious Sushi, Muldoons Blackwater Irish Spirits, and El Sombrero all took part in the recent SuperValu Food Academy Start programme, an initiative of SuperValu, Bord Bia and 31 Local Enterprise Offices.
Éimhín Ní Chonchúir, Food Strategy Manager, LEO Waterford was delighted with the participants engagement with the programme, seen as a great opportunity to get onto the retail shelves. “It was great to see the learnings of the group, as they were guided through a relevant and best practice programme. With the material developed and designed by Bord Bia, with input from the LEO and SuperValu partners, this puts LEO in the strong position of offering our local smaller businesses the same opportunities as those much bigger. We all want to get it right first time, and this programme is there to help businesses do exactly that.”
The one to one mentoring session with SuperValu buyers just completed by the participant companies in Waterford promises two things Éimhin went on to elaborate. “The first thing you as a food company gets from this is a valuable opportunity to get experienced retailer feedback on your product concept, something which we hope companies will use to make themselves a strong prospect for retail. And secondly the possibility of a 12 week trial of their products on shelf in Waterford, with a prospect of going regional and then national if their product if their product and concept carries that far.”
Food Academy Start has been running since September 2013, with over 200 companies now having been added to SuperValu stores locally, regionally and nationally across Ireland. While a national listing with SuperValu is the dream for some of those companies participating, it is not for all. The Food Academy programme is a great opportunity to see if your product fits into a retail offer here in Ireland, or elsewhere, to get you a wider distribution locally or regionally, enough to keep you working at the level that suits your business sustainably.
The nine Waterford producers have come to the end of their training now, having participated in a series of workshops and one-to-one mentoring with development of their product concept along the way. Further programmes are planned for the coming months so please do contact your Local Enterprise Office, located in the Civic Offices in Dungarvan or at 32, The Mall in Waterford City to register your interest for Food Academy. Alternatively you can email info@leo.waterfordcouncil.ie .