Teagasc and Enterprise Ireland Support Irish Food SMEs

Teagasc and Enterprise Ireland have joined forces to support small and medium sized food companies in Ireland. Details of this new joint initiative are being unveiled, during this Europe SME week and will be formally launched at Teagasc Moorepark Food Research Centre in Fermoy, County Cork on Tuesday, 9 June

A key objective of the Irish food industry is to maximise value through post-commodity market-led product innovation. The agri-food sector is the largest indigenous component of the Irish economy and in this sector Small to Medium Sized Food businesses (SMEs) make up over 90 per cent of the 700 food manufacturing companies in Ireland. Similar ratios prevail in many other European countries. These small food companies are located in every county, contributing enormously to the local and regional economy in terms of employment, and as a key customer and supplier link in the indigenous food supply chain.

SMEs are being looked to for viable and sustainable enterprise development and job creation. One of the main outcomes of the Teagasc 2030 Foresight Study was the establishment of an expanded Food SME Technology Support Service with the aim of transferring usable science-based knowledge to the food sector. Equally the food sector is critical for Enterprise Ireland’s plans for enterprise development, export growth and job creation in Ireland. Enterprise Ireland and Teagasc, in conjunction with other state food development agencies, are working together to provide a more focused, responsive and high impact support for SMEs.

The competitive position of SMEs largely depends on their capacity to apply best business practice, absorb new knowledge and skills and convert them into innovative solutions, resulting in a dynamic and profitable business.

SMEs will be supported through research and development, training and consultancy, information and marketing supports, which will be delivered from a world-class base of food research programmes already established in Teagasc. Enterprise Ireland will provide support through a range of their company development programmes and by streamlining the interaction so as to provide the best potential match between the targeted companies and the most relevant Teagasc activities

Overall, the programme will serve the national development aim to maximise the potential of the indigenous sector. The programme will contribute to the creation of a more competitive food sector. It will extend the reach of Teagasc’s innovation support to high potential smaller food companies with less developed R&D capability. It will help these companies to achieve higher development ambitions in product quality and innovation, and it will contribute to raising the innovation capability and R&D absorption capacity of these companies.

The Teagasc Food SME Technology Support programme will be formally launched at the Teagasc food open day at Moorepark Food Research Centre on 9 June.