Wildberry Bakery and The Feed Ducks Initiative to Represent Cork County at National Enterprise Awards
Two Cork based businesses have been awarded Local Enterprise Awards from Cork County Council’s Local Enterprise Offices (LEO) in Cork North and West and South Cork. Companies ‘Wildberry Bakery’ and ‘The Feed Ducks Initiative’ received the accolade for building successful businesses in their respective regions. They will now compete against 29 other businesses at the National Enterprise Awards at the Round Room in Dublin for a share of the €35,000 winner’s prize fund.
Representing LEO Cork North and West, Wildberry Bakery was founded by husband-and-wife team Susan Robbins and Tom Fehily. Based in Ballineen and a family business since 2017, Wildberry produce award winning baked goods which just so happen to also be gluten free. Building the business from a small café and shop to a commercial business delivering high quality products nationwide, Wildberry has received dozens of awards and supplies major supermarket chains. Last year they were the category winner for their Carrot and Walnut Cake at the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards with Simply Better Dunnes Stores before going on to be crowned 'Product of the Year' which was chosen from all category winners.
Founded by Matthew Knight, The Feed Ducks Initiative will represent LEO South Cork. The Feed Ducks Initiative builds, installs and maintains solar powered contactless duck feed dispensers. Knight created his now burgeoning business during lockdown when the highlight of those days was time spent feeding the local ducks with his young son Oscar. Since his first duck food dispenser was installed in 2021 the business has grown from strength to strength starting with 1 dispenser in 2021 to over 80 dispensers across 60 government authorities in 2024 in the UK and Ireland. It is now recognised as an international environmental initiative, reducing foreign feed and rotting excess food that leads to silt build up in local pond ecosystems. The company also donates 10% of their proceeds back into communities to non-profit groups to fund community initiatives to improve local parks.
Speaking at a special luncheon to celebrate the award winners, Deputy Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr. John Healy said,
Deputy Mayor
I would like to congratulate The Feed Ducks Initiative and Wildberry Bakery on their awards and wish them all the best as they progress in the competition. While many independent businesses are encountering challenges, it is heartening to see many still break through and achieve success. It is through nothing but hard work and dedication that has brought these two businesses here today. I am also proud of the supports that our Local Enterprise Offices offer to local SME’s and encourage other local businesses to understand and avail of the large suite of supports available to them from their Local Enterprise Office’s.
Speaking of the award, Susan Robbins, Wildberry Bakery said, “What Wildberry stands for is simple; upholding traditional baking methods using the best Irish ingredients free from preservatives or additives to create beautiful baked goods. Since the beginning, the LEO Cork North and West have understood this mission and supported us in making our dream a reality with priming grants, the LEAN programme, mentoring and so much more – they have been a lifeline in growing the business so steadily in challenging times and we look forward to representing them and our region at the national finals.”
Also speaking of their award, Matthew Knight, The Feed Ducks Initiative said, “What started as a local community project in (2021) has become a recognised international environmental business in 2024 and we are immensely proud of how far we have come. Our growth has been supported by the LEO South Cork who not only understand our business model but have collaborated with us through a range of supports including mentorship, funding with the business expansion grant, and reaching new export markets. These supports have made it possible to scale our business model and look positively to the future.”
Last year Cork County Council’s LEO offices in South Cork and Cork North & West approved grants totalling over €2 million to assist local businesses.
Further details about the supports available to local start-ups and small businesses are available through www.localenterprise.ie.