Iseult Ward and Aoibheann O’Brien, co-founders, FoodCloud
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What is it? FoodCloud is a social enterprise that has developed a unique solution that connects businesses that have surplus food with charities in their local community through a technology platform. It allows stores to upload details of their surplus food and send a text message to a local charity to inform them. The charity then gets it to people who need it. Who’s behind it? FoodCloud was founded in 2013 by Aoibheann O’Brien and Iseult Ward, two young female social entrepreneurs. In February 2012, they attended an Enactus event, immediately bonded over their love for food and distaste for waste, and knew they had to do something to reduce food waste.
FoodCloud’s revenue is based on charging retailers an annual service fee per store and an initial set-up fee. FoodCloud offers businesses an alternative to throwing out good food and paying the associated waste disposal costs, while meeting CSR goals and benefiting their community in a practical and meaningful way. FoodCloud’s revenue covers operational costs associated with the service, but to develop its technology and expand, investment is required. FoodCloud have funded development costs through grant and philanthropic funding. FoodCloud is part of a movement of start-ups and innovators using technology to disrupt the food industry. There is ample room for growth, with major retailers expressing interest and communities worldwide contacting FoodCloud about expansion. As a young and growing organisation, FoodCloud are perfecting the model and working on technology development, processes and securing adequate resources to be able to scale in a sustainable way.
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Business & Finance, in association with Comtrade, recognises Ireland’s most dynamic emerging businesses in ‘Ones to Watch’. Ireland is alive with a vibrant start-up scene and the entrepreneurs featured are shaping the country’s economic landscape.
