Sean Clinton of Sweet King, a client supported by Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, will be exhibiting at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co. Offaly
Sweet King snack firm to hit the sweet spot at the Ploughing Championships
A SMALL business from South Dublin will get the chance to exhibit themselves to almost 300,000 people at the National Ploughing Championships in Screggan, Co. Offaly this month as part of the Local Enterprise Village.
Sweet King, supported by Local Enterprise Office South Dublin, is a sustainability-focused snack company that packs and manufactures confectionery and gourmet popcorn under the Sweet King and Actually Good brands.
The company uses bespoke, sustainably designed resealable packaging across its product range, while its Actually Good Gourmet Popcorn range brings a fresh and innovative offering to the Irish snack market.
The Local Enterprise Village, an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices, will house over 30 small businesses from across the country and will be located at the heart of this year’s National Ploughing Championships in Offaly from September 15 to 17.
This year the Local Enterprise Village will also have a Business Advice Hub for any budding entrepreneurs or existing businesses who want to get advice from the Local Enterprise Offices Specialist Business Advisors.
So, for anyone who has a business idea that wants to figure out how to get it off the ground or for someone with an existing business who may want advice on funding, sustainability or building digital and AI into their business there will be advisors on hand.
The Local Enterprise Village will again host the Google AI team this year following on from the success of the Google area in 2025.
Their experts will also be in the Local Enterprise Village with an interactive area focused making AI work for you and your business.
With close to 300,000 visitors expected across the three days of the event the Local Enterprise Village provides these small businesses with significant exposure to new audiences and potential new customers. Enterprise Europe
.Network will also be based in the Village for the first time, giving advice to businesses who want to begin looking at new markets across the EU.
Peter Connolly, Acting Head of Enterprise at LEO South Dublin, said: “This is an opportunity like no other for a small business in Ireland.
‘The chance to bring their ideas and products to almost 300,000 potential customers is a showcase like no other.
‘The Local Enterprise Village has become one of those areas everyone wants to drop into to find their local business and see what they can pick up.
“This year we are building out our offering to small businesses who may be attending the Ploughing or maybe those that have a great idea and don’t know where to start with our Start-Up Advisor Hub.
‘This along with the Google AI team on site in the Village to guide businesses on how to integrate AI into their day-to-day workflow and the Enterprise Europe Network to help open new doors across the EU, there is assistance there across the board.
And then there is so much for visitors too with a huge variety of businesses exhibiting this year highlighting the depth of sectors that the Local Enterprise Offices support, from manufacturing and food and beverage, to software solutions and fashion.
Whatever you are interested in, there is something for everyone at the Local Enterprise Village.”
With some of the biggest companies and organisations in Ireland taking up residence at the Ploughing every year, the Local Enterprise Village continues to be a popular destination on the site for those looking to pick up something unique to bring home from some of the best small businesses in Ireland.
The Local Enterprise Village will showcase the very best of Irish entrepreneurship and will house businesses across all sectors from clothing, craft and artisanal food to bovine genetics and woodwork machinery.
Anna May McHugh, Managing Director of the National Ploughing Association, said: “The Local Enterprise Village is such a valuable part of the Ploughing, giving small Irish businesses from across the country the opportunity to showcase what they do to the huge crowds that attend each year.
‘We are delighted to welcome the 31 businesses selected this year and it’s great to see them have the opportunity to reach new customers and showcase their products & services to such a large audience.
It’s great to welcome Google back for a second year, alongside the Local Enterprise Offices who will be on hand offering advice and support.
It’s great to see such valuable supports available to small businesses and budding entrepreneurs.”
The Local Enterprise Village is just one of a number of initiatives that the Local Enterprise Offices run, to foster entrepreneurship across the country. Others include Local Enterprise Week, the National Enterprise Awards, the Student Enterprise Programme, National Women’s Enterprise Day and Local Enterprise Showcase. The Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities are funded by the Government of Ireland through Enterprise Ireland. Established in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices are the essential resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or any small business that is looking for support or advice to help them grow. Since their inception in 2014, the Local Enterprise Offices have helped create over 80,000 jobs across the country. The LEOs work with thousands of client companies across Ireland in a diverse range of sectors offering mentoring, training, expert advice and financial supports to small businesses.
For more information see LocalEnterprise.
