Ballyhoura Food Businesses are finding new ways to connect with customers.

Food businesses in the Ballyhoura region are adapting quickly to find new ways to connect with customers during the current crisis. To diversify is the new way forward, and many independent food producers, restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries are working hard to supply the community with their products under limited working conditions while social distancing.

Many businesses joined the online digital world and are boosting their brand awareness via online cooking and baking demonstrations followed by contactless take-away or home delivery service of freshly cooked or frozen meals.

Several of our independent local and organic food producers such as Ballyhoura Apple Juice or Artisan Bluebell Goats Cheese keeping their stocks in the local supermarkets. Others are keeping their produce on the virtual shelves via new food network initiative NeighbourFood Ireland which has set up their collections points in both Counties within the Ballyhoura region - Limerick and North Cork (Doneraile).

Ballyhoura would like to highlight some of the fantastic establishments in the Ballyhoura region and their activities:

Ballinwillin House Farm in Mitchelstown - organic venison, wild boar & goat farm and home of The Mindful Farmer Patrick Mulcahy - has teamed up with an award-winning Chef Norma Kelly of Praline Café. They offer deliveries of amazing meal packs containing venison, wild boar, a bottle of Chateau Mulcahy wine and homemade ‘Praline’ chocolate brownies. They are both part of NeighbourFood Doneraile online network and Norma has her weekly Cake-away service every Saturday.

Renowned O’Callaghans Delicatessen and Bakery in Mitchelstown with their owner Mary O’Callaghan is creating excellent baking demos on the Facebook Page every week. They also have their Call & Collect Service every Friday /Saturday, similar to Blueberries Bakery & Café, who also offers a delivery service. Check out their Facebook pages for daily updates.

Go online and get your box full of organic Purple Squirell or Kilbrack Farm salads and vegetables, jams by Simple Pleasures Preserves, authentic Thai sauces by Shalong Thai Food or even bottles of Eight Degrees Brewery craft beer. It is in times like this when the community gets together and supports their local businesses and suppliers.

Ballyhoura is continuing to support all of the communities, businesses, food and tourism providers in the region. The staff is available by phone, email and through the digital platforms to anyone who needs information, support or advice.

Padraig Casey, Ballyhoura Development CEO states “communities across the Ballyhoura region have led the way in response to this crisis, supporting each other, supporting the most vulnerable and adapting to ever changing circumstances. The affects of this pandemic are far-reaching. Evolving our offerings across all sectors is paramount. To support our small businesses and food sector, by shopping local retains employment in our region and continues to be a back bone to our local economy. Ballyhoura Development staff are on hand to support all sectors as we evolve our supports to still connect with community and support communities through this challenging time.”

A range of services, supports and training courses to community, business and tourism are available and can be viewed on www.ballyhouradevelopment.com website.