Food producers gather for Mayo Food and Drink Showcase
THE grand finale of the Mayo Food and Drink Programme takes the form of a showcase and meet the buyer event, which takes place on Thursday, June 23, in Breaffy House Hotel, Castlebar.
It marks the end of a highly successful series of training and networking events. The showcase is a valuable opportunity for Mayo food and drink producers to meet and do business with key buyers from the hospitality, retail foodservice and food distribution sectors.
Attendance is free of charge but pre-booking on www.mayofood.ie is essential.
The keynote speaker is Artie Clifford, founder and chair of Blás na hÉireann, the Irish Food Awards. He will be supported by a chefs panel, a distributors and wholesalers panel, a retail and food service panel and a food tourism panel.
Food and drink businesses will have an opportunity to exhibit their products and give tastings as well as have personal meetings with buyers. It is also an important networking event for those working within the industry in Mayo.
Participants include Aldi and SuperValu, Bord Bia, La Rousse Foods and Rua Deli. Chefs include Philippe Farineau from Ashford Castle and Seamus Commons from Knockranny House Hotel.
“Anyone involved in the food and drink industry in Mayo or food visitor experiences should make it their business to attend this showcase and meet the buyer event,” explained Oonagh Monahan, programme manager. “As well as talks and workshops, it’s a rare chance for business owners to meet directly in a one-to-one situation with key buyers and decision makers who can make a positive impact on their business.”
This final event is the culmination of a 15-month programme providing relevant and focussed training to food and drink businesses within the network. The most recent event held last month was completely sold out, indicating the enthusiasm for the network.
It is expected that this one will be equally popular and advance booking is essential. It is a trade only event, open only to businesses.
The Mayo Food and Drink Programme is a LEADER funded response to the challenges and opportunities identified in the Mayo Food & Drink Strategy 2025. It puts into action the specific priorities identified by producers and is totally food and drink focused.
A training programme runs until July and consists of free training, mentoring, and networking events which are designed for and available exclusively to Mayo food and drink businesses. Booking for these free courses is through the website www.mayofood.ie or Eventbrite and links on social media (@mayofoodanddrink).
The Mayo Food and Drink Networking and Training Programme is supported by South West Mayo Development Company and Local Enterprise Office Mayo.