Smooth Company bids for success with Dutch launch
The Smooth Company, a haircare brand founded in
Dublin
by Áine Kennedy, has launched in the Netherlands, becoming the first Irish beauty brand to secure a listing at Dutch department store chain
de Bijenkorf
.
The launch at the chain's flagship Amsterdam on Thursday was attended by Ms Kennedy and family members, including her TikTok sensation grandfather Billy, as well as the Irish ambassador to the Netherlands, Ann Derwin.
Ms Derwin told the event that the company's Dutch debut was a 'true testament to the innovation and global ambition of Irish enterprises'.
In an interview with The Irish Times this week, Ms Kennedy said de Bijenkorf – which is owned by
Brown Thomas Arnotts
parent Selfridges – will stock the Smooth Company's hair-smoothing products in its eight stores.
READ MORE
She said the launch was a 'huge' moment for the brand. 'We already have a lot of Dutch customers,' Ms Kennedy said. 'A lot of them were asking us already where they could shop in-store.'
[
Smooth Company's Aine Kennedy: 'My screen time is outrageous. I don't have a work-life balance at the moment'
]
The Lucan-based entrepreneur said the Smooth Company was 'really selective' about retail partner. 'It has to be the right fit for us, so I wasn't settling for anyone less than de Bijenkorf.'
Launching on new markets is 'nerve-racking', Ms Kennedy said. 'It brings its own set of challenges, but the team over there have been amazing.'
Ms Kennedy founded the company in 2022, capitalising on her significant following on TikTok. It has been focused largely on online sales. She said the company had amassed more than 150 million organic views on the social media platform.
The Smooth Company's products are available in Brown Thomas as well as Dublin Airport, and Ms Kennedy is aiming to secure more international retail listings, having recently launched in the UK at the Trinny London store in Chelsea.
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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
First look: New food market gathers the best of global street food vendors in one place
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At Priory Market, which opens to the public on Friday, June 20th, there's no rent, no fitout, just 15 per cent of turnover for access to a unit, utilities and footfall. The project is backed by the Immigrant Investor Programme (now closed). Some €3.6 million was raised from nine Chinese investors; Partas – a long-standing social enterprise based in Tallaght – contributed €400,000 more. READ MORE The model is designed for sustainability, in every sense. It's not just a local experiment – it could be a blueprint for other cities. Profits are reinvested into local jobs, training and community programmes. 'We're not a landlord,' says John Kearns, chief executive of Partas. 'We're a support structure. We don't want to trap people – we want them to grow and move on, if that's their goal. Tenants don't need capital to renovate or fit out kitchens. If someone wants to trial something – or scale it – this is where they can do it.' Haugh is particularly energised by what the market offers to immigrant communities – both those new to Tallaght and those raising Irish-born children. 'I see these kids who look totally different to me, but sound exactly like I did at their age. They're Irish. And it's beautiful to see their parents' cultures being shared – through food, especially.' Anna Haugh of Myrtle. Photograph: Andrew Ogilvy For her, food is more than sustenance; it's a way to build a life. 'Learning about food and cuisine is an important part of cultural exchange. It's how we understand each other. That's what makes Priory Market so exciting – it's not just a business space. It's a way for people to connect, to start small, and to be seen,' she says. 'Hospitality is one of those rare jobs where you can learn a proper skill, and use it to work for someone – or start something yourself, even from your house. It doesn't have to be big jumps or investors. Just doing something you believe in. You can build from that. Maybe even an empire.' Priory Market takes its name from the nearby St Mary's Priory, one of the most significant early monastic settlements in Ireland. Though the market isn't on the original site, it sits just around the corner from the St Mary's ruins – a Church of Ireland site that includes remnants of the original monastery, The Pale wall, and the site of a Fenian uprising. Plans are in place to introduce a walking tour linking the market to these historic landmarks. The vendors at Priory Market have been carefully selected – most are family-run – and together span a wide range of cuisines. These include Delhi2Dublin's handmade Indian dishes, Afro-Caribbean flavours from Bless Up, and Venezuelan street food from Flavouritos. Seoul Kitchen brings Korean classics, while El Milagro serves Mexican dishes from a mother-and-son team. Zaira focuses on Lebanese cooking with Brazilian roots, there is fresh pasta from Buongusto , Mama's Boy serves Vietnamese banh mi; and Hell Fire Grill centres on fire-cooked meats and plant-based options. Tallaght local, Warren Mahon, offers Asian street food with bold, balanced flavours at Park 27. Coke Lane Pizza – located beside the on-site brewery – rounds out the line-up with wood-fired pizza. Cochinita pibil tacos from Maribel Pascual and Julian Trejo of El Milagro Patrizio Di Pietrantonio and Andree Danalache with tagliatelle and meatballs at Buongusto Warren Mahon of Park 27 with khao soi gai - coconut curry broth served on egg noodles with chicken coriander lime, shallots and chilli oil Ricardo Solis, head brewer at the Priory Market Everything at Priory Market must be 100 per cent compostable – packaging is preapproved, and compost bins are placed throughout, with signage to guide proper disposal. 'If everything's compostable, it's easier in the long run – once you get used to it,' says Kearns. 'The goal is to streamline waste, with future plans to mulch on-site and eventually grow herbs and plants using the compost.' The space itself is a blend of the reclaimed and the purpose-built – salvaged lights, Clancy Barracks bomb doors, and seating designed for flow and comfort. There's a conservatory-style patio, a visible coffee roastery above, and views through to the brewery and wine bar. The market includes co-working kitchens, a private speakeasy room, and a demo/events space upstairs. It's designed as a stepping stone between food trucks and full restaurants – a place for emerging chefs to test, scale, and grow with real support. Three of the first vendors at Priory Market, Bless Up, Delhi2Dublin and Flavouritos, each represent a different background, a different culture – and a shared ambition: to build something new, on their own terms. Femi and Margaret Abonde are the husband and wife team behind Bless Up, a modern African-Caribbean food business that first opened in Tallaght's Belgard Square. Their original restaurant gained a loyal following for its bold, home-style cooking – but despite strong demand, the scale and cost of running a full restaurant proved unsustainable. 'It was just taking too much from both of us,' says Femi, who has worked in the hospitality industry for nearly two decades. The pair handed the unit over without financial loss and rethought their business model. Now they're relaunching Bless Up at the market, in a format that's leaner, sharper and more sustainable. Femi Abonde of Bless Up 'It's the cheapest place to trade,' says Femi. 'You don't have to worry about renovations, maintenance, or heavy overheads. It lets you just focus on the food.' The couple have refined and streamlined their original menu. They're serving modern takes on traditional west African and Caribbean dishes – jollof rice with boneless chicken, jerk chicken and rice, shawarma-style wraps with African spices, and their signature Blessed Burger made with marinated, 100 per cent chicken thigh. Spice levels are customisable, and everything is made in-house. 'It's a low-cost way of doing food,' says Femi. 'We're using proper equipment, keeping everything in-house, locking in flavour – but without the stress and cost of a full restaurant.' Beyond the food, they value the collaborative atmosphere Priory Market is creating. 'There's this family feel,' says Margaret. 'Everyone's sharing ideas, helping each other out. We're all here for the same reason – to get our food out there and let people experience what we grew up with.' Another new tenant is Delhi2Dublin – a family business that's making the leap from weekend markets to a permanent home. Mum, Chandra Shukla, is in the kitchen, her daughter, Aanchal, runs the business, and her son, Ardash, a software engineer, chips in between writing code. They've been doing the rounds: Temple Bar, Moore Street, Merrion Square – hauling gear and prepping from scratch each time, but Priory Market will be their first long-term base. 'Markets are intense,' says Anchal. 'You're setting up gazebos, prepping food, lugging equipment – sometimes for just a two-hour lunch rush. It's a lot. And it's always just been the three of us.' Staff at the Priory Market The logistics were punishing – everything had to be cooked offsite and carted in. Rain could wipe out footfall. Generators failed. Storage was limited. Each day was a gamble. Now, for the first time, they have a kitchen of their own – a fixed unit, open seven days a week. 'This is the first time we're hiring staff. Finally, we have space to breathe,' she says. 'We can focus on what we actually want to do: the food.' 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Garcia Vivolo has traded before, but Priory Market is her first kitchen with four walls and a steady crowd. Her food is rooted in Venezuelan tradition, but it's been carefully reworked to suit Irish palates. This is intentional – what Garcia Vivolo calls a kind of 'Lat-Irish' cuisine. 'I'm not copying the exact dishes from home – I'm adapting them. It's really difficult to imitate my flavours because we use tiny peppers that only grow in that part of Venezuela, and condiments that you can only get there. I want to elevate Latin flavours with what's available here. Everything I serve is made with locally sourced Irish ingredients.' The menu at Flavouritos is compact but punchy. Snacks like tequeños and pasteles – crisp, hand-held, and deeply savoury – are perfect as finger food, loaded with flavour, not heat. 'We're not spicy. We're just full of flavour – garlic, herbs, onions, tomatoes, peppers. Nothing overwhelming, just really tasty,' says Garcia Vivolo. The main event, though, is the arepa – a traditional Venezuelan and Colombian dish made with corn dough. Naturally gluten-free, arepas are like a hand-held, stuffed flatbread, and Garcia Vivolo is using them to showcase a wide range of fillings. There are five options: one vegan, one vegetarian, and three meat-based (chicken, pork, and beef), all seasoned with her signature Venezuelan-Latin style. She also makes her own sauces: garlic mayo, chipotle mayo, and salsas to match. 'It's food that feels different – familiar but new. I want people to try it and say, 'I've never had this before, but I like it.' That's the goal.' What makes Priory Market different, she says, is the space and the support. For the first time, she can cook and serve hot food straight to the public – and stay open every day. 'This is exposure – finally. It's a chance to show what Latin American food can be here, on our terms, with real flavour and real heart. I'm putting it on the map. This is just the beginning.' 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Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
Irish universities earned more than €830m from student housing since 2015
Irish universities have made more than €830 million from student accommodation over the last 10 years. An analysis of the financial accounts for Ireland's main universities shows the income from student accommodation has nearly doubled since 2015 as third-level institutions have hiked fees and invested in new accommodation blocks. The analysis assessed accounts from University College Dublin (UCD), Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick (UL), University of Galway, Dublin City University (DCU), Maynooth University and University College Cork (UCC). Universities made €117.6 million from student accommodation in 2023. In 2024, excluding DCU which has yet to publish its 2024 accounts, universities made €113.5 million from their residences. If DCU maintained the same level of income from its residences as in 2023, the figure would surpass €125 million. READ MORE UCD made the most from student accommodation during the 10-year period, bringing in €288.5 million. Ireland's largest university made €42.8 million in its financial year ending September 30th, 2024, slightly down from its record income of €43.98 million the year prior. The south Dublin college, which has accommodation at both of its campuses, made €20.15 million from residences in 2015. It has since significantly increased the number of student beds it offers. It had around 2,500 beds available to students in 2015, but expanded that to 4,070 by 2023 as part of its residential masterplan. UCD shelved plans to build 1,254 student apartments on its campus in 2022. The development was deemed no longer viable due to inflation in construction costs, The Irish Times reported. The project will be partially constructed due to funding from the State, which will allow 493 of those beds to be developed. At the same time, UCD has increased its on-campus rental fees on an annual basis, with costs at the university's Merville accommodation increasing from €6,358 in 2015 to €7,843 last September. Universities also point out that their accommodation is now being used as summer accommodation for tourists and international students. A spokesman for DCU said a significant portion of the revenue from its student residences is generated 'during the summer months, when undergraduate beds are not occupied, when we charge full commercial rates' to visiting students, academics and tourists. The full set of data is not available for DCU, which took in €12.45 million from its student accommodation in 2023. The north Dublin college is planning to add an additional 405 new beds with Government funding. UL has nearly 3,000 student beds across eight student villages on campus. In terms of finances, it takes in the second highest of any university from its student accommodation. Its consolidated accounts record UL as having taken in €23.5 million from its student accommodation in its 2024 financial year. In the past decade, it has generated close to €160 million from student accommodation. Trinity has recorded income in excess of €117 million from its student residences over the decade-long period. [ UL returns €12.4m surplus a year after soured property deals drag it into the red Opens in new window ] UCC's revenue from student accommodation stood at €12.8 million last year, with €81.6 million coming in the past decade. University of Galway recorded €14.5 million last September, from a total of nearly €74 million since 2015. Maynooth University recorded the lowest income of the universities in the 2023-24 financial year, at €6 million. This was also the case in the multi-year period, when it took in just over €47 million. Maynooth combined income from residences and catering in its 2015 and 2016 accounts. During the Covid-19 pandemic, university income from student accommodation was hit heavily. Across the board, revenue dropped nearly 30 per cent, from €93.7 million in 2019 to €67.4 million in 2020. Revenue fell further the next year, dropping to €54.6 million in 2021 before it rebounded to more than €100 million for the first time as university students returned to campus.
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
More smaller apartments and studios could be built under plans being considered by Government
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