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Food & Drink

Ireland's food and drink sector is world-renowned for its quality, but rising costs, labour shortages, and supply chain issues are also making it hard for producers. To cope, businesses like yours are finding ways to improve their efficiency and sustainability, develop innovative products and invest in training.

 

Here, you can find a wide range of supports to help, as well as advice on managing energy costs, training your workforce, and navigating regulations. Contact our Hub team today and we'll find the right support to help make your business stronger and more adaptable.

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Featured food and drink supports


Here are some of the most popular Food and Drink supports.

Explore supports best suited for businesses in the Food and Drink industry.

CMS (Commercial Marketing Strategy)

Develop your own market-ready strategies to grow your business

The Bord Bia Commercial Marketing Strategy helps food and drink businesses create marketing plans–with marketing tools and resources–for brand visibility and growth. 

Training & Programmes

Food Works

Ireland’s food and drink start-up accelerator programme

This support helps early-stage food and drink companies prepare for global growth and attract investment through resources and expert guidance.

Training & Programmes

Taste 'n' Tell

Reduce the risks of innovation by evaluating your newest food or drink products

This tool evaluates and validates your food or drink product. It’s provided by a certified research agency–available in Ireland and internationally.

Training & Programmes

Learning Zone

Knowledge and tools for food and drink businesses to stay competitive

The Learning Zone is a digital platform that aims to help food and drink businesses improve their work processes and find new opportunities.

Training & Programmes

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Bord Bia
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Department of Rural and Community Development
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Dept of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Dept of Social Protection
Design and Craft Council of Ireland
Enterprise Ireland
Fáilte Ireland
Food Safety Authority of Ireland
Health and Safety Authority
IDA Ireland
InterTradeIreland
Local Enterprise Office
Microfinance Ireland
Screen Ireland
Skillnet Ireland
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Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI)
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland
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213 supports based on your selections

GradStart

Develop a talent pool and gain access to new skills

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GradStart provides financial support for businesses to compete for and hire graduate talent. The support covers the cost of taking in graduate talent on a two-year placement basis, to improve the skills base within your business.

Businesses that want to develop their talent pool and gain access to new skills. 

You may be eligible if: 

  • You’re an Enterprise Ireland, a Local Enterprise Office or Údarás na Gaeltachta client

Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

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Grants & Funding

LeanPlus

Apply Lean practices to improve operational effectiveness

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In an ever-evolving world, businesses must always be ready for change. LeanPlus is an in-depth programme that helps you put new processes in place to reduce costs and make your business more efficient and competitive.

Businesses that want to put new processes in place to improve company productivity and reduce inefficiency.

You may be eligible if: 

  • You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client 
  • You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business
  • You have already completed LeanStart 


Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

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Grants & Funding

Operational Excellence

Help to improve efficiency and competitiveness

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Your business must be able to respond, adapt and improve in response to constant changes in customer needs, suppliers, and your own day-to-day operations. This support helps you to invest in a major transformation project which could help your business be more competitive on an international level.

Businesses redesigning their business to make it more efficient and competitive.

You may be eligible if:

  • You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
  • You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business
  • Have been trading for at least 5 years, with revenues of at least €500,000


Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

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Training & Programmes

Evolve Strategic Planning

Help to address challenges with changes to trade

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Businesses need to be able to adapt and keep going, even through challenging times when the world around them suddenly changes. With this grant for strategic planning, we can help you prepare for future business challenges by covering the cost of preparing a response plan. 

Businesses that want to prepare a plan so they can continue to operate in difficult times.

You may be eligible if: 

  • You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client 
  • You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business
  • You are actively trading and engaged in certain eligible activities, and have been impacted by business disruption


Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

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Training & Programmes

Food Academy

Get training and mentorship in various areas for your food business

This programme provides you with essential knowledge about starting a food business in Ireland and a unique opportunity to sell your product through one of Ireland’s leading retailers.

Food and drink businesses that want to grow their operations and sell their products with major Irish retailers.

You might be eligible if: 

  • You are a food and beverage business that already has a product, tested it in the market, and is now looking to scale up
  • Your business is beyond the initial start-up period of 18 months 

Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

Training & Programmes

Standard Mentor Assignment

Practical business advice from a large mentor network

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Enterprise Ireland has a Mentor Network of over 400 successful business people with international business development experience. They can offer you one-to-one sessions and practical business advice through this business mentor programme.

Business owners who want guidance from a mentor who is experienced in your sector. 

You may be eligible if: 

  • You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client 
  • You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business

Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

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Grants & Funding

Access Advice : Lean Start

An introduction to Lean Thinking

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LeanStart is an introductory, short-focused training programme that introduces your company to Lean thinking. Lean thinking is a set of business principles that can help staff learn new ways of working and identify inefficient processes that do not add value to a business. 

Businesses looking to make practical improvements in their business to deliver better quality faster and without waste. 

You may be eligible if: 

  • You are an existing Enterprise Ireland (EI) client
  • You are a potential EI client operating a small to medium business


Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

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Grants & Funding

Lean for Business

Make your small business more efficient with Lean principles

With this support, find out how Lean principles can transform your business by helping your staff find new ways of working and identifying inefficient practices to increase productivity.

Businesses that want to improve their performance, reduce their costs and be more competitive.

You might be eligible if: 

  • You are a small to medium business
  • You employ up to 50 people 
  • You have been operating for at least 6 months
  • You have generated revenues of at least €30k 

Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

Grants & Funding

Energy Efficiency Grant

Introduce energy-saving measures for your small business

Businesses are encouraged to invest in sustainable products and services to reduce their carbon footprint and play their part in a greener future. With this support, you can introduce new measures to become a more energy-efficient business.

Businesses that want to invest in new energy-efficient technology to reduce environmental impact. 

You might be eligible if: 

  • You are a small to medium business
  • You employ up to 50 people 
  • You have been operating for at least 6 months
  • You have generated revenues of at least €30k
  • You have undertaken the Green for Business programme
  • You have had a recent energy audit by a SEAI auditor

Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions

Grants & Funding

Green for Business

Start your sustainability journey

This is an entry-level sustainability grant. It helps you to introduce ways to be more sustainable in your day-to-day operations. It aims to improve your operational performance through better efficiency so you can lower your costs and be more competitive.

You might be eligible if: 

  • You are a small to medium business
  • You employ up to 50 people 
  • You have been operating for at least 6 months
  • You have generated revenues of at least €30k

Eligibility is subject to terms and conditions.

Grants & Funding

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