Leading Food Businesses Shine At Cork County Council’s Enterprise Awards In West Cork
The ‘Best in Cork’ Awards for West Cork Revealed
A company that produces gluten-free cakes, a leading chain of artisan pizzerias and a new business that helps secondary students improve their exam results have been named as the best businesses in West Cork. Cork County Council hosted the third and final Best in Cork divisional awards at a special event in the Celtic Ross Hotel in Rosscarbery.
Best Small Business went to Wildberry Bakery. The family run gluten-free bakery in Ballineen uses quality ingredients to create a delicious range of cakes that are available across the island of Ireland. It serves the retail and food service industry and also works with companies such as Dunnes Stores to create their own label products.
The Clonakilty headquartered Oak Fire Pizza was named Best Medium Business. It was established in 2015 and now employs 70 full and part-time employees across its chain of five restaurants and production unit in West Cork.
Simple Study picked up the Best Start-up award. The Rosscarbery-based business uses adaptive learning, gamification and AI to help secondary school students improve their exam results in more than 37 subjects. It launched in November 2022 and reached 22,000 students in its first year.
Skibbereen transport company, Dave Long Coach Travel, was the runner up in the Best Small Business category; Sheenco Travel, an international travel company based in Skibbereen, was the Best Medium Business runner up; with Kinsale based Wizard & Grace Essential Oil Candles the runner up Best Start-up.
The three winners and three runners up will now go on to represent West Cork at the overall Best in Cork awards set to take place at Cork County Hall in January.
The Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Frank O’Flynn said,
Mayor
Over the last two weeks we have been travelling across the county shining a spotlight on some of the many businesses that make County Cork an incredible place to live, to work and to visit. It is not surprising that tourism is strongly represented in the entries for West Cork. Tourism is a huge driver of economic growth in the region. The visitors come for the scenery and amenities but return year after year because of the incredible welcome they receive. We received entries from wonderful tourism businesses, incredible food and drink producers, unique retailers and talented craftspeople alongside innovative service providers. Every single one can be proud of what they have achieved and of their ambitions for the future.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Valerie O’Sullivan added,
Valerie O'Sullivan
Chief Executive
The independent panel of judges had a difficult job to do, such was the high quality of the entries we received from businesses right across West Cork. I would like to thank the judges for their time and careful consideration of each application. Innovation and sustainability shone through in each entry but most evident is the impact they are making to their local area, providing vitally important local jobs. I would like to congratulate the six companies who will represent West Cork in the overall awards in January and wish them the very best of luck.