Over €1.5m in funding approved for ‘Boyne Valley Food Innovation District’

The Boyne Valley Food Innovation District has been approved for over €1.5m to help promote and build small to medium size food companies locally and help sustain business for the years ahead.

Local Minister of State and TD for Meath West, Damien English joined with his colleague, the Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD and Julie Sinnamon, CEO of Enterprise Ireland to announce the successful applicants of the second round of the Regional Enterprise Development Fund in the Meath Enterprise Centre, Navan, County Meath.

The funding announcement follows an open national competitive call to support regional projects, delivered through Enterprise Ireland, which will create jobs and help sustain business for the years ahead.

“I am thrilled that the ‘Boyne Valley Food Innovation District’ (BVFID) under the stewardship of Gary O’Meara of Meath Enterprise Ltd. has been approved today for funding of €1,580,640.  The BVFID is one of 21 successful applicants announced today and will share in a total of €29 million for their projects” stated Minister English.

The winners, including the BVFID, were selected through a rigorous evaluation process based on criteria which included impacts and value for money, collaboration and participation, viability and sustainability, building regional strengths and significance for innovation.

NOW READ: How the the Boyne Valley plans to become the Silicon Valley of Irish food

Minister English said “Exciting times lie ahead in the locality when it comes to food production, food business and food innovation.  We have a myriad of excellent small to medium size food companies locally who will benefit from what the Boyne Valley Food Innovation District will have to offer. Many more will blossom as a result of the support for the BVFID”

_{This morning's annoucement has held in Epicom's premises in Meath Enterprise Centre where CEO John Cunningham welcomed the news that over €1.5m was being available to the BVFID.} 

The BVFID will be located at the Meath Enterprise Centre and will develop an innovation rich building and stimulus project to accelerate growth and yield business impact through collaboration, innovation, and clustering, thereby facilitating the development of scalable, sustainable and profitable food businesses across the Mideast and Northeast regions.

Minister English added “I am proud to be associated with the Boyne Valley Food Innovation District for the past three and a half years.  I would like to thank Gary O’Meara and everyone – there has been so many – involved in this project since its inception in 2015. 

Meath Enterprise CEO, Gary O'Meara addressing guests at the morning announcement said: "We will use this fund to grow and develop the Boyne Valley Food Innovation District to help food companies scale and go global".