Pádraig Hoare: The Monday Interview with Joe Burke, Local Enterprise Office South Cork
“It’s like a giant farmer’s market really, but indoors. You have the best Cork and Kerry producers at your fingertips, producers that you may not have met before at the Mahon Point, Douglas or Wilton ones,” Mr Burke said.
Supported by a partnership including the LEOs of Cork and Kerry, Taste Cork, Taste Kerry, Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Kerry County Council, SuperValu and Bord Bia, the free food market takes place from 10am to 6pm and is a golden opportunity for local producers in the South West to elevate their homegrown businesses.
Mr Burke said between 2012 and 2017, Cork and Kerry LEOs have grant aided more than 150 food projects, and provided specific food training and mentoring to hundreds of people.
The public is buying into indigenous produce. A survey of more than 400 people carried out by the Cork and Kerry LEOs found 88% said they make an effort to buy Irish food and drink products, with 69% saying that they consider where a product is made when doing their grocery shopping.
Some 90% also said they were more likely to buy a brand when they know the story behind it and 88% said they buy more local artisan produce at Christmas time.
Mr Burke said: “Ultimately we see the value in this event with the consumers engaging. From the tastings of the food producers, to buying produce, to having bags available for people who may want to buy a few things — there will be 70-odd different producers from Cork and Kerry there. For the first time this year, there will be a craft microbrewing offering. About eight breweries are lined up and there is a full bar licence.”
Events such as the Cork and Kerry Food Market, which includes the Irish Examiner as a partner, is one of the most vital for the LEOs, according to Mr Burke.
“We’re a state agency so we are judged on jobs created. There’s 320 new food producers created through the Food Academy nationally. That has worked out at about 1,500 jobs in the past four years, all on the back of that. We notice every year that if we can convince another cohort of people locally and introduce them to local products, they will put them in their basket,” he said.
The Food Academy collaboration between Bord Bia and the LEOs has been massive for local producers, who have had SuperValu to promote it. Any SuperValu that a customer walks into today will have a specific section promoting indigenous food and drink.
“There’s loads of examples of people reintroducing foods that we love into healthier and more nutritious options. It is a huge market. I have found in the food industry that their market research is ostensibly paid for at the farmer’s market. They introduce the product to the consumer, who then takes it home. They come back and tell the producer what they liked or did not like about it -- it is live feedback before they come to Food Academy or being introduced to supermarkets,” said Mr Burke.
He pointed to Wall’s Honest Chips as one of the best examples of what can be done with imagination and business savvy. The East Cork food produced by Kieran Wall is genius, according to Mr Burke.
“He was on the Food Academy about a year ago and had a great idea for par-cooking chips, in order to make it more convenient for chip lovers. That product has taken off because he was innovative in what he wanted to do. They’re healthier homegrown chips. Some of the ideas are fantastic,” he said.
SuperValu are also seeing the benefit, he said.
“Four years ago we asked SuperValu to be a partner with us on this event. They are very open and they see an opportunity themselves for differentiating themselves in the marketplace -- a retailer that is interested in artisan food. Consumers are following that.”
While wholly appreciative of Cork City Hall, Mr Burke said that the long-mooted event centre for the city could really make the event world-class.
“While we really appreciate Cork City Hall as a venue, we can’t expand beyond 70-odd producers. We’d love to double that,” he said.
More than 70 artisan food and drink producers as well as cookery demonstrations from celebrity Chef Kevin Dundon and The Happy Pear brothers, David and Stephen Flynn will take place next Saturday.
“There is something there for everyone in the family. Saturday is a shopping day for people anyway. Before or after they go and do their big weekly shop in one of the larger stores, perhaps they can come in the morning or afternoon and see what the local producers have to offer,” Mr Burke said.
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