Training to boost the brand and bottom line

Farming as a career can be a tough gig to make money from. Just ask beef farmers in 2018. At the Agri Careers Expo on 14 February at the RDS, one of the most memorable panel discussions was Taking Back the Value Chain, hosted by Irish Farmers Journal’s news editor, Catríona Morrissey.

The discussion centered around how diversifying a farming enterprise and finding new revenue streams are extremely beneficial. The speakers on the panel were Caroline Keeling of Keeling’s; Pat Lalor of Kilbeggan Organic Foods and Alan Kingston of Glenillen Farm. What was obvious throughout the discussion was their desire for positive change and innovation in their business.

Speaking of innovation and diversification, Bord Bia’s new skills training programme for farmers’ market producers begins on 19 March across numerous locations in Ireland.

The workshops are specially designed for those who wish to sell at farmers’ markets.

The six-hour workshops will cover the skills most relevant to selling at farmers’ markets, including stall management, selling and marketing tips, building customer loyalty and budgeting

They’re open to Irish food, drink, seafood and horticulture producers, and are aimed at both existing enterprises and first-time producers.

First launched in 2016, the training will be delivered by experienced farmers’ market stallholder Margaret Hoctor, Kilmullen Farm in Wicklow.

The six-hour workshops will cover the skills most relevant to selling at farmers’ markets, including stall management, selling and marketing tips, building customer loyalty and budgeting.

Interestingly, research conducted by Bord Bia two years ago highlights the benefit of farmers’ markets to producers and farmers.

Bord Bia found that consumers appreciate learning the story behind the product directly from the producer, with such interactions likely to encourage purchases. This indicates the important role of the producer at farmers’ markets in driving sales and the necessity of upskilling.

But how have companies benefitted from the training and why would they attend? Irish Country Living profiles two companies that have reaped rewards from the project.

Ray Gannon is a poultry and egg producer from Carrick-on-Shannon, on the Roscommon side of the bridge. A company that started in 1875, Ray Gannon is the fourth generation running the business, which was started by his great-grandfather. The fascinating tradition and story behind the business are intrinsic to its brand.

“The business has gone full circle since 1875,” Gannon explains. “Back then we bought eggs and fowl off people in the countryside and travelled to Dublin to sell on the Dublin market or export to England. We did that throughout World War I, the War of Independence and World War II. Today we produce in the country ourselves and sell the product throughout the countryside.”

With their production facility based in Carrick-on-Shannon, the factory has the capability of packing and grading 7,000 eggs per hour. Ray runs the free-range and barn side of the enterprise, while his daughter, Karina, the fifth generation of the business, looks after the organic production.

Gannon’s Poultry attended the training programmes in 2016 and 2018. Expectations wise, Ray says he didn’t know what was in store. But what was the programme about and what did he learn?

“There was such a broad range of people there, from people involved with meats, fish, vegetables, jams, etc. They all brought their own ideas and concepts. I took a lot out of it. Margaret (Hoctor) was very inspiring and very focused. She taught us how to be creative with our products. How to market yourself and keep innovating. It is about learning how to push your brand and your product in new ways. That is what farmers’ markets are about. Being out there, showing your face to the public and telling your story,” Ray concluded.

Farm diversification is not always for the bottom line. In many cases, it is to develop brand loyalty and provide a launch pad for one’s farming enterprise. For Margaret Edgill of Mount Briscoe, there was no better way to market their brand than at farmer’s markets.

“For us, organically building brand awareness, loyalty and providing a launch pad for product innovation and low-cost trailling were the key reasons for exhibiting”.

Mount Briscoe is an organic suckler farm, having converted to organic in 1998 from a traditional suckler enterprise. The farm is now managed by Margaret since her parents eased out of active farming in 2015. Diversification across the farm soon followed and the business model has since focused on a pedigree breeding programme and showing livestock, supplemented by agri-tourism initiatives and a programme of events and craft.

“Quality is the most important value for me, making craft pieces which our customers will treasure as much as I do. We have developed a range of custom handcrafted wood live-edge cutting boards, servers, platters and kitchen accessories. We also produce a seasonal foraged food range of fruit vinegars and preserves.”

Her participation in farmer’s markets when she lived in Dublin encouraged Margaret to begin to sell products in Tullamore Market when she returned to Mount Briscoe. Today she sells their range under the Mount Briscoe brand in markets in Limerick, Meath and Wicklow.

“For me, it’s all about the craft inspired by nature which motivated me to diversify and farmers markets provided that window of opportunity to engage with our customers.”

Mount Briscoe attended the training programmes in 2018 and similar to Ray Gannon of Gannon’s Egg, new ideas were generated from the training course.

How to apply

Registration: See www.bordbia.ie/FarmersMarketsTraining