Food businesses among finalists for National Enterprise Awards
A number of food and agri-businesses are among the 31 finalists from across the country in the National Enterprise Awards.
This is the 25th year of the Local Enterprise Office event, which was won last year by DreamDev Technologies, the Kildare-based company which developed an AI augmented platform.
This year there is a wide variety of finalists competing for the title of National Enterprise of the Year at a ceremony on May 22.
There is a selection of food businesses in the running this year including Naked Bakes from south Dublin, SOS Cookies from Limerick, Fused by Fiona Uyema from Kildare, jam maker Mór Taste from Wexford, and WONDR Jellies from Mayo, the world's first high-protein, low-sugar jellies.
Other agri-related businesses which have been shortlisted are online auction platform, MartEye based in Galway and Kerry Woolen Mills.
The finalists compete for a prize fund of €50,000 and, along with an overall National Enterprise of the Year winner, there are categories for Best Start-Up, Best Export Business, an Innovation Award, a One-to-Watch Award, and a Sustainability Award.
National Enterprise Awards
There will also be an Outstanding Achievement Award presented on the night to an Irish business who started with the support of their Local Enterprise Office and has gone on to achieve international success.
This year's Outstanding Achievement Award will go to Keoghs Farm. In 2011 Tom Keogh created the Keoghs Crisp brand and from what was a 200-year-old potato farm, they export to 22 countries and employ 150 people at their base in north Dublin.
Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices, Kieran Comerford said; 'This is the 25th year of the National Enterprise Awards and one thing we see year on year is amazing diversity of businesses from across the country, all excelling in their sectors.
'The 31 finalists have made it to this point and that in itself is validation that these are companies are primed for growth.
'We are excited to see who takes home the prizes in the final but we're also excited to see the next steps that these companies make in their areas as they all have the potential to become significant Irish businesses both here and internationally over the coming years.'
The National Enterprise Awards are one of a number of events that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country.
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