Irish food writer John McKenna describes Artisan food as a test of 4P’s, ‘it is a synthesis of the Personality of the producer, the Place it come from, the Product itself and Passion in the manner it is produced’

The Speciality food market in Ireland is estimated to be worth €500 million with farmers markets alone accounting for €10 million annually.

Specialist and Artisan Food producers work in harmony with their environment and play an important role in rural development bringing economic benefits and employment opportunities. Their connection to the land helps preserve Ireland’s culture and heritage and drives food tourism. The emphasis is on locally produced, healthy, natural and sustainable products. These are often hand crafted and produced in small batches as opposed to mass produced in a factory environment.

The range of speciality and artisan products is vast and includes bread, baked goods, butter, cheeses, chocolate, condiments, drinks, eggs, fish, honey, jams, vegetables, sauces and teas, each with its own distinctive brand and personality. Diverse products from food cultures across the globe such as Korean, Indian, Afro-Carribean, Thai, Malay and West Africa are produced in Ireland using traditional family recipes.

They are all passionate about producing top quality products based on authenticity, honesty and trust. The provenance of their products is guaranteed. Irrespective of the product category each one will come with a unique back story to help customers build an emotional connection to the brand and thus increase sales.

The Taste Council in conjunction with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland have issued guideline to small food businesses on the marketing terms that can be used to describe their products. Terms such as artisan, traditional, natural, farmhouse all have specific meanings and it is important that these are used correctly to protect the reputation and competitive advantage of the speciality food sector.

Supervalu in conjunction with Bord Bia and Local Enterprise Networks have created the Food Academy. This programme encourages entrepreneurship and supports over three hundred small producers to grow their business. High quality specialist products such as sour dough breads, local honey and fresh water salmon are all promoted and sold in Supervalu stores throughout Ireland.

Some examples of speciality and artisan food products promoted by Supervalu include;

• Achill Island Sea Salt
• Connemara Organic Seaweed,
• Curry & Spice authentic Indian cuisine
• Drumully Boxty low fat, gluten free, potato superfood
• Emerald Oils 100% natural old pressed rapeseed oil
• Brubiotics Amazake ginger and turmeric non- alcoholic, vegan, gluten free drink which is famed in Japan for it’s anti inflammatory and protective qualities
• Cherry Orchard Community garden which is a social enterprise supplying seasonal fresh vegetables

There are a plethora of regular Food Markets throughout Ireland offering high quality specialist foods and products. With a low carbon footprint, as products are locally produced, and a loyal customer base these markets have experienced phenomenal growth.

Specialist and artisan food producers work in a wide variety of environments including vintage caravans, food trucks, farmers markets, food festivals, with retailers and online. Many have previous experience in the food or hospitality industry and have always wanted to set up their own enterprise. Others have come with a good idea and with the help of consumer research, their local enterprise board and retailers such as Supervalu have grown from small beginnings into successful businesses. To succeed in this sector you will require determination, an entrepreneurial spirit and be prepared to work hard. In return you will have the satisfaction of developing your product from scratch, building up your customer base and the reward of seeing it on the supermarket shelf or selling directly to the public.

University College Cork offer a part-time diploma in Speciality and Artisan Food Enterprises aimed at producers, chefs, farmers, retailers, support agencies and entrepreneurs who wish to establish or expand a small food enterprise.