Artisan food producers sought for 'Journey To Market'
The agri-food sector is big business and now ten new artisan food
producers from across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
area, will have the chance of free, practical support from the
Journey to Market Programme.
Running from January to March, the aim of the programme is to give
budding entrepreneurs the skills needed to set up and grow their ownartisan food producing business with help developing, marketing and test trading their products.
"The Causeway Coast and Glens area is rich in natural resources and is a perfect place for establishing an artisan food business. We
have many outstanding agri-food companies in our borough already and this is an important initiative to boost the local economy and our burgeoning tourist industry by offering quality, fresh handmade
produce," said the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough
Council, Councillor Michelle Knight-McQuillan.
The programme will include one to one expert mentoring to help
businesses develop their ideas and assist with the product
development as well as help developing a business plan. There will
be workshops aimed at building expertise in innovation, selling
skills, customer service, visual merchandising and marketing.
It will also include a knowledge clinic to meet with industry
stakeholders such as funders and industry specialists as well as a
meet the buyer event to provide participants with the opportunity tosell to the local food service sector and distributors.
There will be best practice visits and the programme will finish
with a local showcase test trade event.
Past participants of the Journey to Market Programme have gone on tosuccessfully start new businesses. Dara and Ciara O'Hartghaile from Ursa Minor Bakehouse attended the programme earlier this year and
have now gone on to open a caf? in Ballycastle as well as attending many food fairs and supplying baked goods to other businesses.
Dara said the Journey to Market programme was invaluable in
improving their business skills. "I am more of a hands-on baker thana businessman so Journey to Market helped me focus on what I need todo to run a viable business. We have had a very successful first
year and now we have to look at expanding, taking on more staff without compromising our organic ingredients," he said.
The programme is due to start in January but the deadline for
applications is 5.00pm on 17th December 2015. For more information,or anapplication form, please contact Lara Goodall on 07793388343, lara@laragoodallconsulting.com.
CAPTION: Dara and Ciara O'Hartghaile from Ursa Minor Bakehouse
participated in the Journey to Market Programme earlier this year,
which helped them build up their business skills, develop their
thriving baked goods company and open a new caf?. The programme,
starting again in the new year, will focus on artisan food producers.
producers from across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
area, will have the chance of free, practical support from the
Journey to Market Programme.
Running from January to March, the aim of the programme is to give
budding entrepreneurs the skills needed to set up and grow their ownartisan food producing business with help developing, marketing and test trading their products.
"The Causeway Coast and Glens area is rich in natural resources and is a perfect place for establishing an artisan food business. We
have many outstanding agri-food companies in our borough already and this is an important initiative to boost the local economy and our burgeoning tourist industry by offering quality, fresh handmade
produce," said the Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough
Council, Councillor Michelle Knight-McQuillan.
The programme will include one to one expert mentoring to help
businesses develop their ideas and assist with the product
development as well as help developing a business plan. There will
be workshops aimed at building expertise in innovation, selling
skills, customer service, visual merchandising and marketing.
It will also include a knowledge clinic to meet with industry
stakeholders such as funders and industry specialists as well as a
meet the buyer event to provide participants with the opportunity tosell to the local food service sector and distributors.
There will be best practice visits and the programme will finish
with a local showcase test trade event.
Past participants of the Journey to Market Programme have gone on tosuccessfully start new businesses. Dara and Ciara O'Hartghaile from Ursa Minor Bakehouse attended the programme earlier this year and
have now gone on to open a caf? in Ballycastle as well as attending many food fairs and supplying baked goods to other businesses.
Dara said the Journey to Market programme was invaluable in
improving their business skills. "I am more of a hands-on baker thana businessman so Journey to Market helped me focus on what I need todo to run a viable business. We have had a very successful first
year and now we have to look at expanding, taking on more staff without compromising our organic ingredients," he said.
The programme is due to start in January but the deadline for
applications is 5.00pm on 17th December 2015. For more information,or anapplication form, please contact Lara Goodall on 07793388343, lara@laragoodallconsulting.com.
CAPTION: Dara and Ciara O'Hartghaile from Ursa Minor Bakehouse
participated in the Journey to Market Programme earlier this year,
which helped them build up their business skills, develop their
thriving baked goods company and open a new caf?. The programme,
starting again in the new year, will focus on artisan food producers.