8 March 2019
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Jack Crotty from NeighbourFood
Photography by Gerard McCarthy
Cork company, NeighbourFood has been selected by the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) Cork City to represent LEO Cork City at the 2019 National Enterprise Awards on Wednesday 29th May in the Mansion House, Dublin.
NeighbourFood is the brainchild of successful Cork entrepreneur Jack Crotty and is an online platform designed to directly connect consumers with local farmers and food producers. It is a Cork creation and now has hubs across the UK and is beginning the national roll out in Ireland. The business offers consumers a new and innovative way to do their weekly grocery shop. Consumers simply join a local NeighbourFood market through the website and then can shop each week from a selection of the best of local produce and collect it from their local hub at the specified time. In Cork these local hubs are located in The Apple Market on Barrack Street; in Douglas at On the Pigs Back and at O’Mahony’s Bar, Watergrasshill.
Founder of NeighbourFood, Jack Crotty, who is also founder of the successful Rocket Man Food Company and is a previous winner of Cork City’s search for Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur in 2015. Jack stated “It’s a very exciting time for NeighbourFood and we have been delighted with the response from consumers as well as local farmers and producers wishing to connect with the platform. The LEO Cork City have helped us every step of the way and I’d urge anyone with a business idea or wishing to start or grow their business to call into Adrienne and the team – they have a wealth of information and supports, just a call away. Representing Cork city at these prestigious national awards means so much to myself, the NeighbourFood team as well as all our food producers and is a great opportunity to bring the concept of NeighbourFood to a much wider national audience.”
Co-ordinated by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices in the Local Authorities Network, the National Enterprise Awards recognise and honour the success stories of small businesses and entrepreneurs from all around Ireland.
Judging is taking place in April and May and NeighbourFood will be competing against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €40,000 prize fund. Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Best Start Up Business’ and ‘Innovation,’ in addition to eight regional awards.
Announcing Cork City’s Nominee for the National Enterprise Awards, by the Local Enterprise Office Cork City is part of the events and activities of Local Enterprise Week 2019. 370 events are taking place across the country for this year’s Local Enterprise Week, which is being organised by the network of Local Enterprise Offices nationwide.
Olive Guerin of the Local Enterprise Office Cork City stated “NeighbourFood is providing an innovative technical solution for local artisan food producers, which allows local food producers to access markets other than the traditional farmers markets at an affordable price. Their vision for scaling this business is ambitious, and they have already commenced engagement with other hosts around the country to take advantage of this localised solutions. We believe this nomination will support Jack and NeighbourFood to grow the business nationally.
Olive added “This is what the Local Enterprise Office network is all about – supporting entrepreneurs like Jack from the very beginning when the business is just an idea, to helping them grow their businesses. Being an entrepreneur and starting your own business is a brave move, and the Local Enterprise Office is here to offer support and advice along the way.”
Further details about the supports available to local start-ups and small businesses in Cork City are available through www.localenterprise.ie/corkcity.
Agnieszka and Thomaz Sobkow from Cork with Jack Crotty NeighbourFood
Ruth Ennis from Chicco and Rohan Johnson from Cork Pictured during Local Enterprise Week
