Supporting local enterprises is vital for future economy
By Maurice Garvey
POST-COVID, supporting local enterprises is going to be vital for the economy in the months ahead.
One SME doing their bit is Fude Company, a Park West café that is tapping into the organic produce available at Cherry Orchard Community Garden, which is a social enterprise run by Peadar Lynch, from Ballyfermot-Chapelizod Partnership.
Fergal Connors from the Fude Company
“We just had 10 bags of lettuce dropped off this morning, we get that twice a week or so,” said Lisa Devereux, staff member Fude Company.
“At the moment it is just the leafy stuff from the garden, but we hope to have their tomatoes and cucumbers when they are ready.”
Fude Company was established by husband and wife team Katie Harris and Ferg Connors.
The couple began the enterprise delivering food in the Clondalkin area before opening the Park West premises in 2012, then expanding with a burrito bar and café joint Fude Eile on Nangor Road three years ago.
“We started in 2004 in Neilstown and the ACE Enterprise Centre in Bawnogue taking orders over the internet, before a lot of people were doing that,” said Ferg.
“All the tech companies are here in Park West, we did a bit of research, called into them to see if this was something they would be interested in and they said it was.
“For Covid, we hung on until the government guidelines told everyone to stay at home. We closed for six weeks, but I have been back over in Fude Eile on my own. A lot of workers here didn’t stop at all, in warehouses and factories, they were delighted to see me re-open.”
In Park West, Lisa says the business is “slowly building” back up, albeit just the upstairs is open for eating in, and the café operates via a one-way system with all safety provisions in place for staff and customers.
“It was quiet at first but it is picking up little by little and we took back on another couple of girls this week,” she said.
“Each week there are more familiar faces. If workers are only in the office for one or two days a week, the benefit for us is that they like to treat themselves. Other people passing by have had a look in for
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