“Now cheese is the byproduct of whey to a certain extent it is in such demand.”

That’s according to Sean McNamara of ABC nutritionals, a manufacturer of sports nutrition, weight management and lifestyle nutrition products.

Whey is a byproduct of cheese manufacturing and is used as the main ingredient in sports nutrition.

McNamara said the company started off very small and had some business in the UK. However, with very poor exchange rates, at one point “it was nearly a waste of time,” he said.

So the company had to look elsewhere.

“We started going to trade shows across Europe and cold calling companies giving proposals on how we could brand their products, like a private labelling manufacturer.

The company has business in 18 European countries and some in Africa and Asia, as well as employing 25 people.

When it comes to jobs, Sean says it’s all about someone who is willing to work and willing to learn.

“The minute you cross the line it’s all about what you can offer.”

Also on the panel was Paul Daly, managing director of Irish Casings. The company produces casings, soft cylindrical containers usually used to hold sausage mixes together and can be made from animal intestines.

The company now has 50 products over beef, sheep and pork.

“We specialise in getting the maximum we can out of it,” he said.

“It’s very much an on-the-job education and you have to make your own destiny.”

Meanwhile, Rory Fanning from Slaney Foods, who did an arts degree in UCD and studied French, stressed that people need to focus more on language and advised that Spanish is one of the most important.

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