October 2, 2017

 

Finalists of 1st Irish Seafood Retail Business Award bared

 

 

The Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), or Ireland's Seafood Development Agency, has concluded the final phase of judging for the inaugural Seafood Retail Business Award 2018.

 

The Award, whose winners will each receive a prize worth €15,000 (US$17,608), was established to identify and acknowledge the seafood business with the best seafood business skillset. It also strives to facilitate shop owners and managers in the sector to innovate and improve the management of their businesses.

 

Each applicant was visited by two judges and assessed on his/her ability to demonstrate a range of skills including excellent seafood product knowledge, customer insight, innovation and plans for future development of the business.

 

Eight finalists from across Ireland will now compete for the coveted titles of Independent Seafood Specialist 2018 and Supermarket Seafood Manager 2018.

 

The judging panel consists of business experts including retail mentor James Burke, renowned food writer, Domini Kemp, financial advisor Moira Creedon, and Ronald Hovenars, a food business mentor from Holland, who brings an international element of insight into progressive seafood retailing.

 

Based on figures collated by Kantar Worldpanel, the domestic retail market for seafood is valued at approximately €245million ($287.7 million) per annum in the 52 weeks ending June 18, 2017. This figure represents a 4% increase in the value of the overall market compared with the previous year.

 

Speaking at the final judging event, Jim O'Toole, BIM chief executive, said, "Recent figures have shown that the domestic retail market for seafood is on an upward trend. It is our responsibility as an agency, to support our retail seafood sector workers to capitalise on this growth, in a bid to bolster our industry even further".

 

'A catalyst for others to innovate'

 

He said the Seafood Retail Business Award was "designed as a means through which the hard work and dedication of those working within the sector can be acknowledged whilst also acting as a catalyst for others to innovate and grow the businesses in which they work, whether this be employee or owner-led."

 

The finalists are as follows:

 

Independent Seafood Specialist

 

-- Donagh Good, Good Fish Shop, Carrigaline, County Cork

-- Laura Desmond, Reid's Fish Market, Howth, Co Dublin

-- Lar McCarthy, The Fresh Fish Shop, Bandon, Co Cork

-- Gerard Collier, Fisherman's Catch, Clogherhead, Co Louth

 

Supermarket Seafood Manager

 

-- Scott Smullen, Dunnes Stores, Cornelscourt, Dublin 18

-- Daniel Drwal, Tarpey's SuperValu, Co Cavan

-- Dan O'Regan, Garvey's SuperValu, Tralee, Co Kerry

-- Piotr Wojakowski, Field's SuperValu, Skibbereen, Co Cork

 

Presentations have been made by each finalist on their business and growth plans before a judging panel last September 28 in the Maritime Museum, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin.

 

The winners in each category will receive a package of business supports worth €15,000. The package is designed to assist the winner in areas practical to the running of a business such as future business growth, as well as branding and promotional advice.

 

The winners will be announced at an awards lunch in the Wineport Lodge, Glasson, Co Westmeath, on Nov. 16.