Kennedy Bacon
Company Background:
Kennedy Bacon is a family run company located in Omagh, County Tyrone, providing high quality dry cured bacon at a keen price. The Kennedy family have been farming in the scenic hills of Glenhordial since the 1940’s with years of experience in the rearing and fattening of pigs.
Challenge:
Kennedy Bacon wanted to develop cook in the bag bacon joints but required upskilling support from NWRC Foodovation to do so.
Solution:
To assist and make their idea a reality Kennedy Bacon made contact with North West Regional College (NWRC) Business Support Centre (BSC) who supported them through the Invest NI Innovation Voucher programme.
NWRC Foodovation Product Development Consultant Rita O’Kane provided upskilling in concept refinement and product standardisation and prototype development including support with process requirements including identifying CCP, organoleptic testing supporting product development, allergen, nutritional advice, legal labelling advice and ingredient declarations, shelf-life advice and approval utilising an accredited lab, packaging advice.
Impact:
On completion of the project the company was able to successfully develop cook in the bag bacon joints.
Kennedy Bacon, described the benefits of working with NWRC’s Business Support Centre via the Invest NI Innovation Voucher programme: ‘’We undertook a project to enhance our bacon loin roasts. With the help of an InvestNI voucher and the ensuing support of the Foodovation Centre in Derry we were able to successfully complete our anticipated project. The Foodovation Team led by Rita O’ Kane brought us through the complete culinary journey. Ideas for marinades, cooking times and lab reports were all sampled and presented to us in a speedy and efficient manner. The Foodovation Centre advised us on legal requirements associated with labelling of products and nutritional values. As a small artisan company, we were delighted with the amount of support and advice we received throughout the project. Our flavoured bacon joints are popular in the shops, packaged enabling easy and clean cooking. Many thanks to Rita & Team for your help, support and dedication in seeing our project through to fruition.’’
