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Bord Bia

Food Works, Insights for Food and Drink Start-Ups

15th February 2020

Gary Osborne, Insight & Brand Planning Specialist, Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board

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Perhaps the world’s most famous marketer Philip Kotler defines customer insight as the intersection between the interests of the consumer and features of the brand.  Food Works, the food and drink entrepreneur programme puts insight at the heart of all of our work with clients to help identify and accelerate the development of Ireland’s next generation of successful exporters.

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Now in its 9th year the progamme brings together the work of 3 government agencies to help bring start-up businesses to the next level far more quickly than they would reach on their own. Teagasc helps with product development and process scaling, offering technical and regulatory advice and consultancy. Enterprise Ireland provides feasibility grant funding up to €35,000, and provides HPSU (High Potential Start Up) investment and grant funding opportunities underpinning business planning and strategy development. Bord Bia supports with domestic and international marketing advice, consumer insight and creative design and research where appropriate.

A recent graduate of the programme is Vegan Sandwich Co which produces  meat-free ‘lunchtime thriller sandwich fillers’ such as Chick*n pieces and Bac*n Slices to flexitarians. The insight here was that an increasing number of consumers want plant-based options to fill their lunch time sandwiches but they’re not prepared to compromise on taste.  There was also a perception that some existing options were exclusively for vegans rather than welcoming those who continue to eat meat but are open to plant-based alternatives. As part of the programme, Vegan Sandwich Co developed a new visual ID which has already been rolled out to their online presence and their food service outlet in Smithfield in Dublin.  The brand will launch in retail in the first half of 2021.

To help generate insights relevant to the growth of your own business check out the numerous Bord Bia resources available to you here and to learn more about Food Works please click here.

 

References:

Marketing Insights from A to Z: 80 Concepts Every Manager Needs to Know, Philip Kotler