Local food producers selected for Food Academy
Two Mullingar food producers have been selected to take part in this year's Food Academy.
Sugar Plum Sweetery and Crust Gluten Free are the local producers selected to participate in this year's Food Academy programme, the tailored business development initiative for start-up and early-stage food and drink producers developed by SuperValu over a decade ago, in collaboration with the Local Enterprise Office. Since its inception, 11 years ago, more than 1,000 producers from all 26 counties of Ireland have successfully completed the Food Academy programme.
Speaking about their business and the positive impact of Food Academy, husband and wife team Denise Buckley and David Quirke, owners of Sugar Plum Sweetery said: “We set up Sugar Plum Sweetery, a chocolatier, confectionary and gifting brand in 2022. We were confectionary lovers for years and spotted a niche in the market for a new and innovative chocolate, confectionary and gifting brand. We make delicious creations for every occasion. Our master chocolatiers make all our chocolate by hand in small batches fresh every day. We also make our luscious ingredients, such as our secret salted caramel recipe, coconut ganache, honeycomb, and Florentine from the best ingredients. We have a very keen focus on sustainability and minimising our impact on the environment. We have partnered with Self Help Africa and have planted over 10,000 trees to date to help offset our emissions from our production kitchen. The training, support, and development we have received from SuperValu and the Food Academy programme has had a huge impact on our business. From a planning, strategy, and mentoring perspective it has immensely helped us to focus on bringing our first products to retail which would not have been possible without the programme.”
Speaking about their business journey and experience with the Food Academy, Rosaleen Coates founder of Crust Gluten Free said: “We are a passionate Irish family-run business since 2012, specialising in artisan gluten-free baked goods. Over the years we have listened to our customer’s needs. Why should coeliacs compromise on quality, taste, and texture? In 2021 we saw a gap in the market for quality gluten free flours and it was important for us to remember our customers wanted a finished product just like what we bring to the table. We launched our mixes in 2023. At Crust, we believe in building trust with our brand. We trialled and tested an array of gluten free flour combinations until we found a blend that ticked all the boxes. All our packaging is 100% recyclable and re-sealable for home use. The training and support we have received from SuperValu and through the Food Academy programme has been excellent. They have been instrumental in helping us get our products on retail shelves in our local SuperValu stores. We are excited for our journey with SuperValu.”
The Food Academy is a significant contributor to the overall growth and sustainability of the Irish food industry. Food Academy producers have sold a combined €230 million of products in SuperValu since 2013, supporting 1,500 jobs in the economy. The programme serves as a platform for showcasing quality Irish products and the innovative spirit of food and drink producers across the nation.
Speaking about the launch of this year’s Food Academy producers, Ciara McClafferty, Trading Director at SuperValu said: “At SuperValu, we have supported the Food Academy programme for over a decade now, and it is wonderful to see that talent and innovation continues to grow in this industry. We are always blown away by the level of applications each year and choosing the successful producers to come onto the programme is never an easy task – which in itself is a testament to the calibre of producers in our country.
"I would like to congratulate Sugar Plum Sweetery and Crust Gluten Free who are beginning their journey with the Food Academy this year.”