Post by Musgrave

✨The 2026 Food Academy, supported by SuperValu, opens for applications   Ireland’s food and drink producers are being encouraged to apply for the 2026 Food Academy programme, which is supported by SuperValu, as the initiative opens applications today for its 13th year.   As part of this year’s recruitment drive, Food Academy – supported by SuperValu and the Local Enterprise Offices – will host a webinar titled “The New Appetite: What Today’s Consumers Really Want” on Thursday 19th March, offering producers insights into evolving consumer trends and how emerging brands can succeed in today’s competitive retail landscape.   Since its launch, the Food Academy has established itself as one of Ireland’s most successful food and drink development programmes. From the time the programme began 13 years ago, Food Academy producers have collectively generated over €300 million in sales. This success underlines the continued importance of programmes like the Food Academy, which provide emerging producers with the support, expertise and retail pathway needed to bring innovative products from concept to market. The webinar will take place online on Thursday 19th March from 3–4.30pm and will explore a number of areas, including:       ✅The different needs of different generations       ✅How health is now a daily behaviour       ✅The 4th Mealtime – Grazing & Food on the Go       ✅How Tik Tok is driving new demand   Participants will hear from Michelle Fennell, Head of Insights & Strategy at Musgrave, and Charles Banks, Partner and Managing Director at The Good Food Company, who will share expert insights on current food and drink trends, shifting shopper behaviours such as food on the go and how TikTok is driving new demand. Since its launch 13 years ago, the Food Academy has continued to evolve, most recently through a partnership with Technological University Dublin. As part of this collaboration, participants now benefit from increased training in Food Safety & Quality at TU Dublin, earning them a Certificate in Entrepreneurship complementing the already extensive learning and skills provided through the Food Academy. Some of the largest Irish Food businesses to come through the Food Academy programme include Coffee House Lane of Waterford, All Real, Dr. Coy's Health Foods’, O Neills Dry Cure Bacon, Zingibeer Ltd., Beara Distillery & Absolute Nutrition. Producers interested in attending the webinar can register via the Local Enterprise Office website here: https://lnkd.in/dJYgtM_3 Applications for the 2026 Food Academy programme are now open and can be submitted at:   https://lnkd.in/ewmPTjXE