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Virgin Media’s ‘Backing Local’ campaign worked a treat for healthy nutrition provider Snack Farm, and is more important than ever ahead of the festive season

#BackingBusiness is a nationwide initiative launched by Virgin Media in April, designed to support Irish businesses through the pandemic and return to growth. The team at healthy nutrition provider Snack Farm has benefited from the programme, and now Virgin Media is specifically backing local to support businesses and communities throughout the country.

Snack Farm had been supplying top tech companies such as Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Hubspot and Citrix with their healthy snacks. Then in March, companies all over Ireland directed their employees to work from home.

Snack Farm is now helping to fuel home workers with healthy and nutritious foods, offering packages for businesses and their staff , home ordering for consumers, and super gift ideas for everyone. It’s a great example of an innovative Irish business still succeeding and looking positively towards the future.

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"Snack Farm is thrilled to be part of this new phase of Virgin Media's Backing Business initiative,” says owner Pádraig Staunton. “It's a pleasure to work with a company that values small indigenous business and is willing to give the support needed at such a critical time. Virgin Media’s Backing Business project is one of those rare initiatives that is truly selfless from the media owner’s perspective. They gave of their airtime and asked for nothing in return.”

Staunton adds that the benefit of being involved was very significant for Snack Farm. “Having lost all our corporate business due to Covid-19, we pivoted to a ‘direct to consumer’ model online. The biggest challenge for any new e-commerce business is driving traffic, the second is building consumer trust.”

The Virgin Media Backing Business slot for Snack farm on national television resulted in a huge uplift in traffic to the company’s online store. “There is clearly an increase in trust when consumers are introduced to a brand through the medium of TV,” says Staunton.

“Snack Farm sales spiked significantly in the week we were on air. It was the shot in the arm that we needed at the perfect time. We have used that exposure as a springboard for growth, and are going from strength to strength as a result.”

Promotional Support

Over the past six months, Virgin Media’s Backing Business campaign has supported over 200 businesses and smashed its goal to deliver €1 million worth of promotional support to Irish companies across the country.

“Backing the resilience and economic contribution of small and medium business owners nationwide is hugely important,” says Aidan D’Arcy, Director at Virgin Media Business. “These firms – from your local grocery shop to your local chemist – were there for the nation during the first lockdown, and now they need everyone’s support to get back on their feet.”

Online shopping habits have changed dramatically due to the pandemic, and this will continue, according to Virgin Media research. One in 10 people said they had spent amounts of up to €100 online in the past month, with 40% saying they spent between €100 and €500, and c.10% spending between €500 and €1,000, or more.

Shop Local

According to Aidan D’Arcy: “The run-up to Christmas is synonymous with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, but many millions of euros spent online goes overseas. That’s why Virgin Media’s Backing Local campaign is more important than ever, and we want to encourage more people to return to shopping locally, in a way that is safe and gives them confidence.

“If you’re buying online, look for an Irish provider. There are loads of delivery options, or you can ‘Click ‘n’ Collect’ where this is feasible under the current restrictions. The main thing is ‘Think Local, Back Local, Shop Local’.”

At a time when businesses are faced with many uncertainties, Virgin Media has created a platform for business conversations to take place as we learn to live with COVID-19 and enter a new phase of recovery. So if you’re looking for our support, then Virgin Media’s #BackingBusiness has got you covered. Simply contact backingbusiness@virginmedia.ie and we’ll do the rest.

Pictured: Snack Farm’s online sales spiked after the brand featured on national television for free with Virgin Media