Irish artisan food producer Béal Organic Cheese joins TRADEIT (Traditional Food, Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology Transfer) to support small agri-food production in a peripheral region of Ireland on the western sea-board

Béal Organic Cheese was founded in 1987 by Kate Carmody at the family-run dairy farm in County Kerry by the mouth of the river Shannon in a peripheral region on the western sea-board. When Kate married into the traditional dairy farm at Beal in 1984 her mother gave her a cheese press saying: ‘All dairy farmers should make their own cheese.’

The original Béal Organic Cheese is traditional handmade cheese made from local organic raw milk ingredients. The cheeses have a creamy, cheddar style, crumbly texture and a uniquely piquant explosion of flavour that set them apart. North Kerry is a traditional dairy farming area, with a long history of cheddar cheese production, continued at Béal Organic Cheese. Many of the cheddars particular to this region have a unique characteristic of developing a blue vein in the maturation process attributed to a combination of the production process and climatic impact. This unique regional trait presents in many of Béal Organic Cheeses.

Kate Carmody has grown production at Béal Organic Cheese to a level to satisfy the local market. Over time, operations moved from a converted out-house on the farm to a local co-operative facility. The company gained organic status in 2000. In addition, Béal Organic Cheese has developed pasteurised versions of the cheese to satisfy market demand.

The next step is to further build production levels and address challenges such as production facilities, cheese cutting and packaging for the international market.

In Autumn 2012, Kate Carmody put Béal Organic Cheese forward for the TRADEIT EU initiative and was selected to take part. Following the launch of TRADEIT in November 2013, Béal Organic Cheese is fully engaged in the initiative to avail of knowledge sharing, entrepreneurial training and technology transfer, supporting innovation both at the artisan food company and significantly, in relation to small agri-food production in peripheral regions.

According to Kate Carmody: “TRADEIT has huge relevance. At its core is the traditional food producing sector and our right as consumers to eat proper food with the highest nutritional value. TRADEIT looks at ways of overcoming the hurdles that small food producers have encountered, to get to a stage of production that gives economic viability and sustainable jobs and communities.”

She continues: “We need balance in the Agri-food sector whereby small agri-food SME’s are as well resourced as larger companies, securing access for consumers to good food Europe-wide. Access to labour for small businesses or farms through dedicated jobs programmes and cooperatives are key areas to explore.”

Challenges facing small artisan food producers

A big challenge for small food producers is the move from farm production to SME level and the associated costs for day-to-day operations, transport, packaging etc. Increased production through the contracting of services has brought its own challenges for Béal Organic Cheese whereby it becomes difficult for the small food producer to maintain control of the process.

Waste is also an issue. In negotiating deals with cheese-cutting facilities, the problem of waste arose. Kate highlights the difficulties faced dealing with handmade cheese without the availability of resources to innovate and identify process upgrades.

Capital investment brings another challenge. In order to attract capital investment, access to innovation and resources are required.

“Many small food producers are peripheral in nature, far away from main markets, and distribution systems. A community support framework is crucial in this sector,” comments Kate.

She continues: “Ireland must define its food culture and highlight what are our traditional foods and how do we help them grow. Traditional food producers are a good starting point, embracing the diversity that is at the heart of the sector.”

Kate Carmody experienced a setback in 2011 when she became ill. Cash flow became an issue and two investors, secured through Irish television series Dragon’s Den, pulled back from Béal Organic Cheese. The company also lost its co-operative production facility. A new agreement is now in place with a local co-operative, on the back of an updated business plan. Once again on track, more traditional Béal Organic Cheese cheeses are coming to market next month.

Kate’s advice to artisan food producers is two-fold. Perseverance is essential in terms of overcoming obstacles. In one case, following her decision to make raw milk cheese, Kate took on the license request directly herself and the situation was resolved within three hours. She made the raw milk cheese the following day.

Secondly, and specifically to such small agri-food producers in peripheral areas, Kate advises: “To develop the sector, it has to be about cooperation, creating a synergy among traditional food producers and generating new opportunities. We have to support our rural communities.”

TRADEIT is determined to open up opportunities in the traditional food sector by addressing the very unique challenges faced.

Collaboration, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Knowledge and Technology

The collaborative approach of TRADEIT with the establishment of a Pan-European network of agri-food SME’s and 9 TRADEIT hubs, resonates very much with Kate. She is looking forward to sharing her experiences with other traditional food producers, from the failures typical on any entrepreneurial journey to the specific obstacles faced as an artisan food producer and ideas generation. She will share with a network of producers and key stakeholders from the UK, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Poland and Finland, particularly those in peripheral regions, ultimately to drive her business and grow the sector.

One of the ideas that Kate would like to explore as part of the TRADEIT initiative, echoing TRADEIT’s regional hub structure, is the creation of traditional food hubs to facilitate and grow both small artisan businesses and larger scale ones.

Traditional food produce holds an important place in the cultural heritage of each EU member state and represents critical economic input to many regions as a growing segment in the EU food market, making a strong case for supporting the traditional food sector. TRADEIT aims to enable traditional food producers, supporting rural communities and creating sustainable jobs with a positive socio-economic impact.

Kate Carmody concludes: “TRADEIT allows the creation of a middle agricultural model. This is a sustainable model where access to technological innovations, food research, process upgrading and research co-operation helps to keep small food producers in the market-place and drives growth. From a socio-economic point of view, this is crucial.”

Dr Helena McMahon, TRADEIT lead, Shannon ABC, IT Tralee, comments: “We value the participation of Kate Carmody of Béal Organic Cheese in the TRADEIT programme. Kate is a true entrepreneur and an artisan food producer faced with the kind of issues that TRADEIT aims to tackle and help overcome. Many Traditional, Craft and Artisan Food producing SMEs do not have the resources or capability for research and innovation, absorption of emerging technologies or opportunities to participate in collaborative projects with universities or research centres.”