SuperValu has reported that across its Food Academy brands there has been a 22% rise in sales over the past three months as customers support local producers.

SuperValu Food Academy is a food business development programme between SuperValu, Bord Bia and the LEOs. Participants in the programme receive training in market research and branding, food safety, marketing, finance and business development.

Dublin beekeeper Olly Nolan (pictured) joined the academy in 2016 and Olly’s honey is stocked in five SuperValu stores near his farm in the Dublin mountains.

“The programme gave the business a real boost and we’ve gone from strength to strength thanks to the support,” says Nolan. “We have a really loyal customer base and we even get messages from customers telling us when their local SuperValu Olly’s Farm Honey shelf needs to be restocked.”

Food Academy producers have sold a combined €140m of produce in SuperValu since 2014, supporting 1,500 jobs in the economy. To date, 620 producers have come through the programme, with 272 producers currently enrolled in the programme.

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