RECIPE FOR SUCCESS

Bia Innovator Campus in Athenry officially opened

THE newly opened Bia Innovator Campus in Athenry, a one-stop-shop for the development of start-up and small food businesses, is the only facility of its kind in the country.

The €8 million campus adjoining Teagasc on the town’s outskirts provides support and advice along with production facilities and technical expertise to people starting out and those hoping to grow their food business.

The campus will be involved at all levels in helping food entrepreneurs to develop their ideas as well as helping existing enterprises to upscale and expand, from business development to food testing.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar returned to Athenry for the second time in seven days, to officially open the 23,000 sq ft facility last Friday, where huge praise was given to the voluntary Board of Directors and the collaboration of several agencies in making the dream a reality.

Chairman of the Board of Directors Peter Feeney told The Tuam Herald that Bia Innovator was “revolutionary” for not just for the food industry in the West of Ireland, but for all over Ireland.

Speaking on Friday, the Taoiseach told attendees that he recognised the enormous effort it had taken to bring the development to completion. Mr Varadkar spoke of Ireland’s reputation for high quality food and sustainable production and how Athenry would now be integral to this. The Taoiseach was impressed by the high number of female-led businesses linked to the campus...

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