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Assisting innovation in the agrifood sector

As Ireland's largest indigenous industry, the agrifood sector employs over 169,000 people across the country. This equates to 8.5% of employment in Ireland.

A number of State agencies assist those with an idea for a food or drinks start up or those who are looking to build on their agrifood business. The focus of Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority, is to support science-based innovation in the agrifood sector. The organisation runs a number of programmes to help businesses with educational, training and advisory services, practical industry-specific information, and research support. 

Food Product Development Supports

Food processing facilities and experts at the Teagasc Food Research Centres at Ashtown, Dublin and Moorepark, Cork provide support to established companies and potential entrepreneurs wishing to develop innovative food products. The services available include access to R&D facilities, food preparation kitchens and product testing such as microbiological, chemical and sensory analysis. Experts and facilities at both locations cover dairy, meat, fruit and vegetable products, beverages, soups, sauces and ready meals.

The food research centres are also knowledge providers for Enterprise Ireland's Innovation Voucher Scheme, which awards vouchers of €5,000 -which can be exchanged for advice and expertise - to small companies who have a business opportunity or problem. More information about the supports is available here.

Specialist Training & Consultancy

Teagasc provides training programmes from Teagasc centres and other locations around the country as well as in-company. There are core training programmes in new product development, processing technologies, legislation, food assurance standards, marketing and business planning. A number of the training courses are FETAC certified.

The schedule for upcoming training programmes and information on how to book a place is available here. Consultants are also available to advise and provide training to those in the food business. Information on consultancy is available here.

Food Works

Food Works is an intensive business development and accelerator programme for food and drink start-ups run by Teagasc, Bord Bia and Enterprise Ireland. The programme provides successful participants with a range of business supports including consumer market research, business plan development, technical advice, commercial viability testing and fast track access to R&D facilities as well as possible investors and state funding. The programme is aimed at food or drink entrepreneurs or companies that have been trading for less than three years and wish to target export markets and scale their business. More information about the programme and the application process can be found on www.foodworksireland.ie

Further information

Teagasc has a number of useful resources on their website to help food businesses.

Teagasc's database of contacts have a range of expertise in different areas, from cheese technology to innovative dairy flavours. 

Check out Teagasc's step by step guide for starting on your own business here, which includes a template for a business plan 

Get in touch with Teagasc's information service

Information on consumer and market insights can be found here