Firms need to run continuous ‘improvement efficiencies’

ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) will have a “huge effect” on business, especially in market research and consumer marketing, according to Michael McCambridge, owner of Rathcoole company McCambridge’s.

McCambridge believes AI will help to rapidly convert consumer trends and interests into tangible products.

However, he envisages that traditional businesses will “need to go looking for implications of AI before they arrive at their doorstep.”

Speaking to the Irish Times, the bread chief said two areas which “spring to mind are consumer research and process improvement.”

McCambridge’s produces traditional Irish wholemeal products, for the domestic and international market, including the availability of bread mixes and frozen bread for the US, UK and Australia.

The Rathcoole company oerates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and employs 50 people.

Owner Michael McCambridge, an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year finalist for 2023, says the company has a small but growing export business.

“We sell online through Amazon and our own website. The UK is a strong market for our bread tin home baking kits. Our gluten free bread kits are particularly popular,” said Michael.

“These are available in Australia, Singapore and from a few independent retailers in Europe. We sell quite a lot of frozen bread in the US.”

Acknowledging Ireland is no longer a “low-cost economy”, McCambridge says businesses need to run “continuous improvement efficiencies.”

“We innovate in production process. There is no dedicated engineering solution for the production of Irish soda bread,” he said.

“We explore other processes for different food types and take ideas from them. The market evolves rapidly and constantly. Some of the main themes will be a move away from heavily processed foods to foods with simple and locally sourced ingredients.”

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