Growing Galway Food is inviting small food producers and retail and hospitality food buyers to participate in an online survey of food production in Galway as part of its aims to develop a county wide strategy for food in Galway, to contribute to the future development of the sector by fostering cooperation and cohesion amongst food producers and to build relationships between food producers and buyers in the retail, catering and hospitality sectors. The online survey will build a picture of the sector in Galway in terms of both producers and buyers and aims to identify some of the key challenges for small food production as well as the opportunities and strategies needed to grow this sector in the future.
The survey offers you the opportunity to register your interest in
- Participating in upcoming events and activities including networking and training events.
- Joining a public listing of food businesses including growers, processors, food producers, retail, catering and hospitality which will provide a current and up to date point of reference for businesses
- Pre-register for a Trade Show to be held in March 26th 2014 in Claregalway. This event will allow a wide range of small food producers, be they vegetable growers, lamb producers or cottage industry jam makers, to showcase their products to buyers from larger businesses including caterers, hotels, restaurants and wholesale food producers as well as larger institutions. It is expected that important introductions can be made to develop longer term business relationships.
This survey is an opportunity for everyone who is interested in the future of food production in Galway to have their opinion heard, whether they are producers of food or buyers of food from the retail or hospitality sector. The results of the survey will assist in the development of a food strategy to support the growth of small food businesses in the city and county. If you are both a food producer and food buyer you can complete both surveys.
Please click on this link to complete the survey
Background to Growing Galway Food
Growing Galway Food is a new initiative where support agencies in Galway City and County have come together to develop the food sector in Galway. The project which is funded by Galway Rural Development Company, Forum Connemara, Comhair na nOiléan and Galway County Council aims to develop a county wide strategy for food in Galway, to contribute to the future development of the sector by fostering cooperation and cohesion amongst food producers and to build relationships between food producers and buyers in the retail, catering and hospitality sectors and is the first county and city wide initiative for the small food production sector.
Project activities will include a comprehensive survey of the sector to be carried out online, a review of the importance of farmers markets in the county, a number of networking and training events, the development of an information resource for food producers and future strategy for the sector in Galway.
A key aim of the project is to put food producers in contact with local retail outlets, hotels and restaurants who use locally produced food and food products; it is intended to establish a public listing of food businesses including growers, processors, food producers, retail, catering and hospitality which will provide a current and up to date point of reference for businesses. Producers and buyers will also be invited to a trade show to be held in March 26th 2014 in Claregalway. This event will allow a wide range of small food producers, be they vegetable growers, lamb producers or cottage industry jam makers, to showcase their products to buyers from larger businesses including caterers, hotels, restaurants and wholesale food producers as well as larger institutions. It is expected that important introductions can be made to develop longer term business relationships.
Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
Kind Regards,
Paul Gill
Galway Branch Chairman