An evening of Mayo food - networking event for food and drink sector

‘MAYO on the Menu’ is the theme for social event for food and drink businesses in the Mayo Food and Drink Network.

The night will be a celebration of Mayo food and drink and an opportunity to learn from the practical experiences of other food networks.

Café Rua in Castlebar is the venue and it takes place on Wednesday, May 25, at 7 p.m. It’s open to network members and all in the food and drink business in Mayo. Admission is free but advance registration is essential. See the website (mayofood.ie) or social media to book.

Speakers include Marie Brouder of Brouder Marketing who was the driving force behind Sligo Food Trail, and Simon O’Hara of Coopershill House, Sligo, who is a member of Sligo Food Trail and of Ireland’s Blue Book as well as a venison producer. Simon will talk about how being part of a food trail has benefitted his business, bringing exposure and recognition, and how it can benefit a business at any stage of development, the challenges that must be faced, and the benefits that strength in numbers brings.

“This is a really important networking opportunity for anyone in the food and drink business in Mayo,” said Oonagh Monahan, programme manager. “Being part of a food network is proven to bring benefits to member businesses as well as new opportunities.”

One of those new opportunities is the potential for a new Mayo Hamper packed with top quality food and drink from the county. A sample hamper will be on view and one lucky spot prize winner will go home with it.

The Mayo Food and Drink Programme is a LEADER funded response to the challenges and opportunities identified in the Mayo Food & Drink Strategy 2025. It puts into action the specific priorities identified by producers and is totally food and drink focused.

A training programme runs until July and consists of free training, mentoring, and networking events which are designed for and available exclusively to Mayo food and drink businesses. Booking for these free courses is through Eventbrite, with links on social media (@mayofoodanddrink).

The Mayo Food and Drink Networking and Training Programme is supported by South West Mayo Development Company and Local Enterprise Office Mayo.