Tipperary company McEvoy Family Foods insolvent

A family food company employing a recent Irish contestant on UK TV show 'The Apprentice' is insolvent.

The High Court has appointed an interim examiner to McEvoy Family Foods which is based in Co Tipperary and supplies own-brand products to Musgraves and Lidl.

McEvoy Family Foods was set up by Gary McEvoy, a former chef at Michelin-starred Dublin restaurant L'Ecrivain.

He is married to former Apprentice hopeful Jane McEvoy who took time off from the business to star in the UK show but was "fired" by Alan Sugar last April.

Until recently, McEvoy Family Foods employed 18 staff full-time in an area of high unemployment.

It supplies own-brand products such as garlic bread and soup to bluechip companies in Ireland including Lidl and Musgraves.

The court heard the company's financial problems mostly stem from high start-up costs and lack of bank funding.

The court appointed an interim examiner as it is satisfied the Tipperary business has clear export potential and a reasonable prospect of survival.