9 Irish Companies Complete the First Musgrave MarketPlace FoodService Academy Programme
4th August 2016
Nine Irish Food and Drink Companies have completed the first FoodService Academy programme with Musgrave MarketPlace, Ireland’s leading wholesale supplier to retail, foodservice and SME businesses. The Food Service Academy was set up by Bord Bia and Musgrave MarketPlace to help small Irish food and drink companies develop their business in the foodservice market.
The successful companies will supply products to Musgrave MarketPlace’s 6,000 foodservice customers, which range from hotels and restaurants to pubs and nursing homes.
The companies participated in a four month programme which included workshops and mentoring sessions. The final workshop took place on the 27th June in the Limerick Strand Hotel where each company had the opportunity to meet the executive chef Tom Flavin and the Musgrave sales team. The sales and trading teams are currently working with each of the companies to develop their products in line with foodservice customer requirements.
Some of the female-led companies include:
– Lily’s Tea Shop, blenders of a range of premium, loose leaf teas as well as matcha tea and premium tea pyramids
– Nobó, dairy free ice-cream company
– Maria Lucia Bakes, a Dublin producer of gourmet gluten, wheat and dairy free granola cereals
Sheena Forde, Trading Director, Musgrave MarketPlace said, “We have been incredibly impressed by the calibre of companies that participated in this year’s inaugural FoodService Academy and are really excited to bring these products to market.”
“It has been a pleasure working with each and every one of the businesses to date and we have learned a huge amount from them as well as imparting knowledge from the programme to them. Bord Bia have been a fantastic partner and we are thrilled to announce that plans are already underway for a 2017 FoodService Academy programme. It really is a privilege to work with such passionate people in the industry and to support Irish food business.”
Maureen Gahan, Bord Bia’s Foodservice Specialist said, “From Bord Bia’s perspective, we are delighted with the success thus far of the inaugural FoodService Academy. Each of the participating companies have had invaluable access to key people from the Musgrave MarketPlace team, both at the workshops and through individual meetings over the course of the programme.”
“The feedback they have received from Musgrave MarketPlace Sales Representatives has allowed them to develop their products and supporting material to reflect the needs of the end customer. We are already looking forward to FoodService Academy 2017 and offering this opportunity to additional Irish food and drink businesses.”
(Pictured L–R: Maureen Gahan, Bord Bia; Tom Flavin, Strand Hotel Limerick; Sheena Forde, Musgrave MarketPlace.)
