As you would expect from a firm based in the agricultural heartland, we have clients engaged in various sectors in agribusiness. We deal with merchants, millers, importers, farmers, breeders, horse-trainers and traders – as well as meat processors and all types of food-related business.

We have co-ordinated and presented business plans and grant applications, banking proposals and fundraising propositions. We have advised on succession, disposals and land development.

We all know that we have certain advantages (or possible advantages) in food production and marketing in this country. But in reality, there are many challenges too. For over 20 years, we have worked hands-on with enterprises in everything from slaughtering through meat processing, pre-cooked foods, portion controlled sales, food-service distribution, organic produce, fruit-and-vegetable trading, frozen foods, cheese and milk products – not to mention every aspect of the food retailing and hospitality sectors.

There is a boom in the food-service sector, hospitality – as well as major changes in food retailing generally. These have generated demand for higher-volume contracts that give critical mass to suppliers. They have also generated demand for various added-value products that for many years were the Holy Grail for Irish food producers in general.

Success in the food sector still requires across-the-board strength, in:

• Efficient paths-to-market
  
  
• Product development
  
  
• Marketing, branding, promotions & merchandising
  
  
• Development of the customer base – management of niches, key account management, mitigate over-dependency on single customers
  
  
• Capital investment for efficiency and quality
  
  
• Operations, compliance, hygiene and quality
  

We offer essential financial advice (with the benefit of sectoral experience and strategic thinking) in key areas of:

• Business planning and strategy
  
  
• Fundraising (debt, equity partners, BES, venture capital, specialist working capital solutions, invoice discounting, etc.)
  
  
• Optimising the property element in the business (e.g. rent v. buy; swap deals; sale-and-lease-back; equity release; surplus property identification, etc)
  
  
• Working capital management, budgets and projections
  
  
• Expansion plans: acquisitions, geographical expansion, new contracts
  
  
• Profit sharing, incentives, commissions, changes in shareholding
  
  
• Business disposals and changes in shareholding.
  

For more information please email: