It has been announced today that 65 jobs are being created in food business startups as a result of the Food Academy, a collaboration between Bord Bia, SuperValu, Local Enterprise Offices of Cork & Kerry, Cork & Kerry County Council and Cork City County. The Cork and Kerry food producers who participated in Food Academy will generate sales worth €1.2 million in 2015.
The announcement was made today at a trade conference which was attended by over 400 food industry representatives and buyers.
SuperValu serves over 2.6 million customers every week and 75% of everything on SuperValu’s shelves is sourced or produced in Ireland. They purchase almost €2 billion worth of goods from Irish suppliers which helps to sustain 30,000 jobs in the Irish economy.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Simon Coveney says, "Confidence and self-belief as innovators in the food and drinks sector are critical success factors for startup enterprises. Food Academy - a unique collaboration between Bord Bia, SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Offices - is helping startups to bring their innovative ideas to market stage. The net effect will be the creation of 65 jobs in 2015. A collaborative approach is the key to building success."
SuperValu Managing Director, Martin Kelleher added, "At SuperValu, we are delighted to announce that through our partnership with Bord Bia and the Local Enterprise Offices, more than 30 small food businesses from Cork and Kerry who are part of the Food Academy will generate sales worth €1.2 million this year, leading to the creation of 65 jobs.
This is a real endorsement to the Food Academy initiative which allows us to bring community based food startups to the retail market and provides them with the potential to grow their businesses even further, providing employment for themselves, members of their community and for some – family members.
It is great to nurture the energy and passion of these entrepreneurial producers and harness this into producing a range of products that we are proud to stock on our shelves. By matching SuperValu stores with startup food business in their area, the Food Academy programme is providing a real boost for local economies throughout Ireland."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
