New Display Workshops

A workshop on Display will take place in North County Wicklow market this Saturday 31/03/2012. Other markets local to Newcastle are invited to take the opportunity and get some tips on presentation and display of produce As more and more great produce makes its way into the markets over the coming months, we need to do it justice.

Phil Kildea from Q.E.D will deliver the workshop on Saturday from 10am-12noon.

Next Display Workshop in Naas on 06/04/2012 Good Friday.

Other workshops are being planned.

Area Meeting Cork

27/03/2012

Our final meeting took place in Cork in the Vienna Woods Hotel, with mentors

JJ Healy and Ronnie Harrison.

The workshop was very lively There were lots of ideas explored and valuable information shared by two people with vast experience in food, sales, and marketing.

Enthusiastic members

Ronnie runs Optimum Training and JJ is Culinary lecturer in Cork’s Institute of Technology, with a broad range of expertise in the food business.

We also had Professor Ronan Gormley and Paul Foyle attending.

JJ Healy, Paul Foyle, Ronan Gormley and Ronnie Harrison.

Area Meeting Roscrea

Another successful meeting which was well attended in the Damer Court Hotel, Roscrea. Q.E.D Training provided the workshops here as well. Paul Foyle, programme co ordinator gave the background to the UCD based project.

Phil Kildea,mentor, Paul Foyle UCD and Noel Davidson,mentor

                                

The Irish Food Entrepreneurship Training Programme (IFETP) is targeted at promoting female entrepreneurship in the food industry with funding from the European Social Fund and the Department of Justice and Equality.

Some folders, packed with useful information for start-up businesss were available on the day, there will be a copy for all markets.

The social media workshop.

Area Meeting in Sligo

Noel Davidson, coach and mentor QED Training

20/03/2012

Our second Area Meeting was held in The Clarion Hotel in Sligo on Tuesday.

The morning started with an introduction from Professor Ronan Gormley of UCD Institute of Food and Health, on the Irish Food Entrepreneurship Training Programme (IFETP). It is through this programme and the funding it has received that allows us to avail of the mentoring workshops.

The vibrant and very interactive workshops then took place with Noel Davidson, on social media and market research and Phil Kildea, on sales and marketing. We had 35 members present who were enthusiastic and left with lots of ideas to move on in their markets.

Professor Ronan Gormley UCD.

Official Opening of New Ross Country Market

16/03/2012

I went to the official opening of New Ross Country Market on Friday.

Graignamanagh chef Edward Hayden did the honours. Edward is currently doing a cooking slot on TV3 Ireland AM and is also busy on the demonstration circuit.

I spoke with many of the customers there to get their feedback on the market.

They enjoy the fresh produce, homebaking and small crafts, they also love the homely atmosphere and the opportunity to relax with friends for tea/coffee and a little treat.

Area Meeting Newtownmountkennedy

05/03/2012

Our first area meeting of 2012 took place yesterday in the Parkview Hotel, Newtownmountkennedy. Forty five members attended representing thirteen markets.

Speed mentoring was a new experience for us,and everyone agreed it was a productive workshop, hopefully we can avail of such training again.

Mentoring session in progress. This was one of four topics tables, a fifth table was available for Country Market members to do some networking amongst themselves.