OISHII FOODS, Unit 4, Kilcoole
Industrial Estate, Kilcoole,
OUTSTANDING SMALL BUSINESS
Co Wicklow. Tel: 01 2938987.
www.oishiifoods.com
Atasteof
Japan
OishiiFoodsisbringing
authenticJapanesecuisineto
theforehereinIreland,now
supplying70outletshere,as
wellasthefarmers’markets
‘You have to keep introducing
new products. We’ve
just launched a half-sushi,
half-combi pack. It keeps
people interested’
Ciara Troy
I
T was good, old-fashioned, hard work that has usingJapanesesuppliersintheUKandalsolocalfarmers products to clients quickly,” says Troy.
grown Oishii Foods, and just two years since its from around Wicklow. Originally,whenoperatinginthefarmers’markets,she
conception, the business has expanded to become Itwasn’tlongbeforeTroygottheconfidencetostartcold- produceddifferentproducts,butthedemandforsushihas
one of the largest retail and restaurant suppliers of calling to businesses throughout Dublin to sell her sushi been so great that Troy has focused purely on that.
sushi in Ireland. and Japanese food products. However, the company continues to innovate and is
CiaraTroyisthebrainchildbehindOishiiFoods,forming The first outlet to take on Oishii Foods’ products was launchingdifferentproductlinestocomplementthesushi
the concept while she was studying the Japanese language Nude on Suffolk Street in Dublin. Then one day, she got a range. Set to come on the market in 2009 is a Terryaki
in Tokyo as part of her Japanese and business degree. call from the management at Spar on Merrion Row, who marinadesauce,whiletherearealsoplansforaJapanese
“I loved Japanese food and I loved Japan, so wanted to had spotted Oishii products in Nude and wanted to pur- soup line.
do something Japanese-related,” she recalls. chase some to sell in the store. For the coming year, she plans on growing the Oishii
Realising how difficult it was to get Japanese cuisine in Fastforwardtwoyearslater,andOishiiFoodsisnowin brand so the company is not solely reliant on sushi sales.
Ireland,Troyjumpedintothatgapinthemarketwithboth 70 outlets throughout the country. To her credit, Troy has “Youhavetokeepintroducingnewproducts.Forexample,
feet.UponreturningtoIreland,shestartedherbusinessby managedtobecomethesoleproviderofsushitolargermul- we’vejustlaunchedahalf-sushi,half-combipack.Itkeepspeo-
cookingsushiinherhomekitchenandthensellingitatstalls tiplesSuperquinnandBWGFoods,operatorsoftheMace, ple interested and keeps customers buying the product.”
at various farmers’ markets throughout the country. Spar and Eurospar outlets. It is in the sauces and soups that Troy sees potential to
Troy’sinstinctsabouttheJapanesefoodmarketwereto Ithasbeenbitofafairytalestoryforthe30-year-oldwho export,astheywillhavealongershelflife.Atpresent,the
proveright,asOishiiFoodsbecamesomethingofaculthit started her business without any financial assistance sushi is made in the unit in Kilcoole and delivered on the
among visitors to the farmers’ markets. The company from the banks or Enterprise Ireland. samedaytothe70outletsthroughoutthecountry.Shesays
quickly benefited from much repeat custom. “It has been fairly ad-hoc growth; there wasn’t a market- shewouldlovetoeventuallygetinvolvedwithEnterprise
“The farmers’ markets were great for market research, ingcampaignbecausetherewasn’tevenabudget,”shesays. Ireland to expand this beyond Ireland.
as the feedback we got from customers week in week out Troy has certainly come a long way from hand-cutting Whileshemaybenewtothebusinessworld, Troyistack-
was great,” says Troy. labels with a ruler and Stanley knife, and has left her home ling the current economic situation head on.
JapanesefoodhasbecomethelatestfoodtrendtohitIre- kitchen behind to set up a professional kitchen in a “The current climate is forcing us to innovate more in
landbecauseitishighinnutrientsandappealstothepub- premises in Kilcoole, Co Wicklow. She now employs four termsoftheproductlinesandprocesses.Ourpricepointis
lic’s more health-conscious demands. full-time chefs. generally higher than sandwiches, for example, so we are
OishiiFoodsprovidesfreshly-preparedJapanesecuisine, “IknewifIwantedthecompanytobeasuccessI’dhave looking at doing a cheaper line to target different cus-
all of which is handmade and without artificial additives to get commercial premises. The product has just two tomers.MyplanistoworkashardasIhavebeen,andImay
orpreservatives.Troyhassourcedheringredientscarefully, days’ shelf life, so work can be hectic trying to deliver alsolookforinvestorstogrowthebusinessfurther,”says Troy.
26 SFA NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS AWARDS WWW.SFA.IE/AWARDS
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