Food Academy Programme for Laois
Food Academy Programme– Calling all Food Producers!
In association with Local Enterprise Office Laois, Bord Bia and Supervalu
Local Enterprise Office Laois is delighted to welcome applications for the forthcoming Food Academy StartProgramme. This is an ideal opportunity for local food producers to develop their business with a view to pitching to the Local Food Buyer from Supervalu.
A programme for those looking to develop and grow small-scale food and drink production businesses. The Food Academy Start programme is primarily targeted at start-up food businesses and current LEO clients. It is centered on workshops, designed by Bord Bia and Supervalu. The workshops will be run by the LEO Laois, with local Supervalu retailers in Laois participating in a ‘Dragons’ Den’ style pitch process.
The intensive workshops will provide companies with long-term business supports including consumer insight, technical advice, resource planning, commercial advice and marketing development. The output has a core commercial focus whereby all participants will have the opportunity to pitch their product or idea to their local Supervalu, with a view to securing an initial local listing and the potential to build from there.
Objectives:
- Develop an in-depth knowledge of the tools which can be used to assess market background.
- Understand core technical issues facing your food or drink business
- Learn how to grow sale for your product range through better branding and packaging design.
- Gain all of the tools and knowledge necessary to launch and build a successful food business in Ireland
Who should Attend:
- New Food Producers or Early Stage Producers
- Established Food Producers wishing to develop their retail business
Programme details:
Module 1
- Understanding consumers
- Market background
- Research and data
- Marketing strategy and segmentation
Module 2
- Introduction to finance
- Pricing
- New product development
- Food safety and food labelling
- Packaging
- Managing human resources
Module 3 and 4
- Branding and pack design
- Route to market
- Buyer meetings
- Marketing plans
- Promoting with confidence
- Public relations
The upcoming Food Academy Programme will run over the following dates – Wednesday 24th June, Tuesday 21st July, Wednesday 26th August and Wednesday 16th September 2015.
An Information Evening will be held on Monday 25th May from 6.30pm to 7.30pm in the Killeshin Hotel, Dublin Road, Portlaoise for anyone who wishes to obtain more information on the Programme. James Burke will give a full overview of the Programme. If you are interested in attending, please contact Local Enterprise Office Laois on 057 86 61800 or email localenterprise@laoiscoco.ie
Testimonials
‘Nubie Foods is based in Stradbally, County Laois and we produce a range of rapeseed oils for culinary use. We participated on the first Laois/Offaly Food Academy Programme in 2014. The programme provided the framework that helped us validate the feasibility of bringing our product to market. It also organised for us to work closely with experts in the areas of finance, branding, marketing and consumer insight. In addition the programme provide the opportunity to supply Supervalu stores and today we are supplying over 30 stores in the Leinster area and continue to take calls from stores offering to stock our products. We are delighted to be part of this great initiative that helped kick start our start-up business providing access to a wealth of information, mentoring support and other resources.’
Peter Munroe, Nubie Foods, Stradbally
” I found Food Academy extremely beneficial, from providing me with an informed insight into various aspects of securing retail placement, the advice and skills to be shelf ready and meeting and engaging with other small Food Producers, to having the opportunity to pitch and showcase my Products to a major player in the Irish Retail Sector, which is an invaluable experience for a Small Food Producer like myself and opens a route to market that may have otherwise been inaccessible to Small Producers. I’d Highly recommend Bord Bia/ Musgrave Food Academy to any Small Producers ready to take that next step to getting their Products onto the shelves in the Irish Retail Market.”
Michael Onalimi Director, The Jungle Food Co Ltd.