Food Business in West Corkheads towards another milestone after 8 years in business and a new innovative snackrange.
Snacking is a big part of Irish culture and the potato crisp has always been the number one go to snack. Matthew Brownie CEO / Owner of The Skibbereen Food Company has always brought something new and innovated to the Irish and overseas markets and is moving forward again with a new snack range after eight years in business.
A Quick Overview
Ten years on from an idea Matthew Brownie had from CIT in Cork, to winning the Best Business Plan for The CIT Innovation Award 2013, The Skibbereen Food Company (TSFC) goes from strength to strength from national coverage in Ireland to international markets in the UK with his successful Scratch My Pork and Pork Crunch Range.
Matthew – The Kiwi Culchie has now thought up a new innovated snack range that is just hitting the Irish market called Nibbly Wibbly’s.
What Are Nibbly Wibbly’s?
The quirky little snack “Nibbly Wibbly’s” is a baked corn snack, made from cornflour, oils, with delicious seasoning’s that is different to other snacks on the market. It’s Gluten and MSG Free and gives something new to the snacking arena in Ireland.
Two Flavours of Nibbly Wibbly’s
/ Wonderfully Cheesy
/ Sweet Barbeque
The new innovated range is a completely different from the pork snack range but gives The Skibbereen Food Company something new to offer retailers and consumers in Ireland and overseas.
Milestone Reached
In 2021 the company achieved a quarter of a million turnover with the future looking even brighter with new online international shops and other retail contracts.
The Skibbereen Food Company partnered with Elite Home Products Distribution Company back in 2018 and have formed a great relationship. Elite Home Products have introduced products nationwide in TESCO Ireland, Supervalu, Centra, stores and about to be stocked other retail chain groups shortly.
With over 60 independent stores and online customers in Ireland which are growing everyday, Matthew feels it’s time to make a real big impact toward the UK market.
UK and International Markets
Amazon UK / already trading in the UK, Amazon UK has been a great asset to The Skibbereen Food Company’s success with over 30 products in the meat category and growing every day.
Online Retail / Matthew has grown the business and is now available on Farie Wholesale and Ankorstore which are available to retail stores throughout the UK and Europe with orders already coming through from specialty stores in Germany, Belgium and Greece.
Belgium / Orders every few months go over to the Stonemanor stores in Belgium and Luxemburg
The Artisan Food Shop / The Skibbereen Food Company partners with the Artisan Food club which helps brands enter the UK market in the hope of expanding into a larger piece of the market.
Matthew is in talks with major retailers in the UK, and is just a matter of time till The Skibbereen Food Company reaches its goals in the UK.
The Irish Market
The Skibbereen Food Company has grown slowly but nicely with 4 major retailers in Ireland that have taken on their products. Tesco Ireland, Supervalu, Centra, Daybreak, Top Oil with other retail chain group’s stores to follow.
Matthew also distributes through a fulfilment company into 60 independent stores around Ireland also.
Matthew is very grateful to The Musgrave’s Food Academy that he was accepted on 7 years ago. Without the learnings the growth from the local West Cork Stores TSFC products would have not been successful. Starting local has always been the start of TSFC story and today Matthew still delivers to a few local West Cork Stores and Pubs.
Marketing
Matthew admits that next year that more marketing needs to be planned for all products to grow and this is where the YouTube channel will be focussed on along with Social media ads being run all year round, along with the usual weekly posts.
Some papers will be approached and The Skibbereen Food Company will be at trade shows as 2023 moves forward.
Breakthrough (Mussel Foods)
September brings entry into the Fitness and Gym world with Mussel foods which is one of the biggest online food websites in the UK. TSFC is delighted to be part of this high protein E- Commerce site.
The Kiwi Culchie – Youtube Channel
Matthew the chef behind his snack brand has always been the face that people have got to know. And his own cooking channel under The Skibbereen Food Company has proven a great market tool.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYFJwSLDJcEXOwKNl0K5J_A
The Future of The Skibbereen Food Company
Three awards recently won by The Skibbereen Food Company (Irish Enterprise Awards 2022, Best Snack Category & Innovation and Excellence Award 2022 for Corporate Live Wire) is proving to be a rewarding business.
The American market is being looked at already, and a new range of snacks are being researched as well.
Other opportunities are coming Matthew’s way also but for now the focus is to get the company up to half a million turnover and beyond, sustain and look after the Irish Market and work very hard to enter more retail stores in the UK market with his innovated snacks with the word Skibbereen his brand and hometown in Ireland and where it all started.
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