Speaking at Guaranteed Irish Annual Food & Drink Forum

On the 15th of June, I had the pleasure of taking part in the Annual Food and Drink Forum organised by Guaranteed Irish as one of five Irish food and drinks businesses showcasing our products at the event. June is designated as the Guaranteed Irish Food and Drinks month, and at this event it was revealed that recent surveys confirms Irish shoppers’ commitment to supporting local brands.

Survey found Irish shoppers choose Irish produce

The event, called ‘Cracking Sustainability in the Face of Rising Costs’, held by Guaranteed Irish and sponsored by SuperValu and Centra. Speaking at the event, Fiona Twomey of Bord Bia, announced the results of their recent survey, which found Irish consumers remain committed to supporting locally produced food even post Covid. Almost two in three buy local produce on a weekly basis, and over half expect to increase their frequency of purchase of local produce in the next six months. Three recent independent surveys carried out by Guaranteed Irish, SuperValu, and Bord Bia show that the Irish public are consciously supporting local brands, which is good news for local business and the environment.

Showcasing our products

At the event some of Corks’ most innovative food and drink suppliers showcased and sampled their products. These included Kate Dempsey (Kinsale Mead), Leonie Lynch (Juspy), Maurice Gilbert (Ballyhoura Apple Farm), Colette Twomey (Clonakilty Blackpudding) and Hanna Backmo (Hanna’s Bees).

As a very new member, I did not know what to expect, so I scrubbed up as best I could, brought my sweet honey and showed up.

And I was blown away by the response! There is so much interest in Irish produce, and everyone I met really understood the importance of honest labeling for honey. Especially with honey being one of the most adulterated foods in the world, usually in claiming third spot of the most faked foods after Whiskey and Olive oil!

What does it mean to be a Guaranteed Irish Member?

Since becoming a member of Guaranteed Irish, I have been asked several times: Is it really worth the effort? And I can honestly say that it is. Being able to proudly display the Guaranteed Irish G on my products takes some of the guesswork away from my customers, who want to make the right choices when it comes to their food and where it comes from. And, it puts me and my little artisan business in the same league as so many other inspirational, ground breaking and hard working Irish food producers like those in the picture. So, the next time you see a G, know that choosing that product, you also chose to support a small local business like mine and keep the Irish economy going by supporting local jobs! Now, isn’t that a win-win?

The event concluded with Brid O’Connell, CEO Guaranteed Irish, welcoming the result of all three surveys, which each highlighted the importance of collectively promoting provenance with pride.

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