Donegal’s food businesses will be hoping they can find the right combination of ingredients for success when judges from Ireland’s Foodie Destinations visit the county this weekend.
Donegal Food Coast initiative has been short-listed as a finalist for the Foodie Destinations 2019 awards and those involved in the county-wide initiative will be hoping they can see off tough competition to take the prestigious title.
As well as this week’s judging, members of the public can also play their part by voting online and Head of Enterprise in Donegal, Michael Tunney has urged the people of the county to get behind the project in the public vote.
“The Food Coast – Donegal’s Good Food Initiative – was developed by Local Enterprise Office Donegal as a programme to support development, growth and quality in Donegal’s food sector. It is fantastic to see the initiative in the short-listed finalists and to see Donegal Town also in the running.
In a short space of time, The Food Coast has become a central platform for establishing Donegal as a “Food County” – a place with a vibrant food culture and food economy and that’s something we are determined to expand upon,” he said.
Public voting for the awards opened online on Wednesday 24th July and an appeal has gone out to the people of Donegal to log on to voting page http://www.foodiedestinations.ie and vote for The Food Coast Donegal before the closing deadline of Tuesday 20th of August.
Earlier this year the county launched its 2019 list of the Food Coast Donegal’s Experiences and since then the county has been host to a hub of mouth-watering events to delight locals and visitors alike.
“Food plays an intrinsic role in the visitor experience and the series of food events we have in Donegal this year, offer a wide range of extraordinary experiences celebrating Donegal food and its champions,” Mr. Tunney said.
Add to that the county’s growing array of nationally and internationally recognised chefs, as well as national and international successes and the Head of Enterprise suggests the fruits of the work being done by Food Coast Donegal is really starting to pay off.
“The vision of the Donegal Food Strategy has always been to collectively work together to make Donegal famous for food. To make the county recognised as a pioneering region for its approach to fostering and growing new start-up and existing food businesses.
We have plans in place for more initiatives to keep this momentum going, but in the meantime, it is, without doubt, a great honour to have been short-listed as a finalist,” he added.
The Head of Enterprise says everyone involved with the Food Coast is really looking forward to welcoming the judges and showcasing the best Donegal has to offer.
“I am certain the judges will be impressed by our wonderful Donegal food but we will still need the support of the public and I would appeal to the people of Donegal to get behind the Food Coast Donegal in the online vote,” he concluded.
Local Enterprise Office Donegal is supported through co-funding from the Irish Government and the European Regional Development Fund 2014 – 2020. To contact the Local Enterprise Office in Donegal, log on to http://www.localenterprise.ie/donegal or phone 0749160735.
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