Before founding Fiid, the quick-cook, plant-based meal bowl company, in 2018, Shane Ryan had spent a number of years learning the ropes of the food and beverage industry -- doing everything from delivering salads by bike in Dublin to travelling the world while working for luxury hotels.
Having received an "incredible education" in business at the Shannon College of Hotel Management and working in the trade for the likes of Starwood and Saint Regis before going on to establish systems and processes for Neuville, Ryan left the hotel sector in the hopes of making 90-hour work weeks a thing of the past.
Now, he's working more than ever as the head of Fiid, but his efforts are paying off as the company prepares to exhibit on Artisan Producers' Row at the Taste of Dublin festival.
Fiid products, a range of plant-based stew-like meals made with vegetables, legumes and spices and without additives or preservatives that can be heated in the microwave for 90 seconds and served with (or without) rice, pasta or vegetables, are widely available.
At home, the Smithfield-based company sells online and in Tesco, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu, Centra, Spar, and abroad, in 300 Uk stores and in territories as varied as Singapore, the UAE, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Iceland, and the Netherlands.
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Ryan, who himself eats a largely plant-based diet, said Fiid fills a need among time- and energy-poor who want to eat well throughout the day, and its meals have become a firm favourite of customers who can store them ambiently in their cupboards and desk drawers.
"There's this misconception or fallacy that given the advent of the TV cook, the celebrity chefs, we've all become amazing at cooking, which isn't actually the case," he says.
"So we find that our consumer actually loves food but just often doesn't have the time, interest and the energy or the skills to cook the food that they want to eat. So really what Fiid provides them is an option that's really really convenient without any kind of compromise."
Fiid's "delicious and comforting" black bean Mexican-style chili dish has become a cult favourite, but all its wet pouches (RRP €3.30) have proven popular.
The 100% carbon-neutral company, a graduate of the Food Works accelerator, employs a team of 10, including commercial director Eoghan Webb, formerly of protein bar maker Fulfil Nutrition, and has donated more than 2m meals to hungry children through Mary's Meals.
In addition to Taste, where Ryan hopes thousands of new customers will be exposed to Fiid, the firm is also putting "a huge amount of effort" into some marquee launches as it makes further inroads into the UK, and the founder is confident about Fiid product.
"Convenience across all our consumption periods, breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacking, is absolutely core to, I think, most food offerings now, but taste will always reign supreme," he says.
Fiid will be at Taste 2022 June 16 - 19, located at the Artisan Producers Row in front of the band stage. Tickets for the Iveagh Garden event can be found HERE.
Photo: Shane Ryan.
