Healthy win for Alicia

A young Cavan entrepreneur, Alicia Treanor from NutriSnax Ltd, has won a place at the national final of the prestigious 'Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ competition, for a chance to win up to €50,000.

The futuristic business based in Poles near Cavan Town is representing the region in the Best Established Business category at the national final in Dublin next month and has already won €20,000 in investment from the Local Enterprise Office in Cavan in the county finals.
A delighted Alicia told the Celt: “When they called out my name at the regional final in Cabra Castle, it was absolutely phenomenal. I am very proud, particularly representing Cavan and Monaghan.”
NultiSnax has a major food services contract and their products form part of the free breakfasts and lunches scheme in the Déis schools.
“I am the customer care agent for all of the North East and I visit all the schools and give nutrition talks and I am accompanied by Bernard Dunne,” explained Alicia.
The national final will take place in the presence of the Taoiseach and various Government Ministers.
There are currently a team of six people working in the Poles-based business and they supply the Cavan county team with energy and protein bars.
“We have a brand new product coming out and will be starting exporting to Scandinavia and all over the UK and Scotland. We also have got a new contract to supply Italy. We have taken on a new employee in recent weeks and we hope to take on another 12 people very soon,” she outlined of the business’s growth plans.
The other young entrepreneurs representing the county at the regional final were: Best Business Idea, Tyrone do Couto, Real Dynamics; Best Start Up Business, Norman Ormiston, Bear Rubber.
The announcement of the national finalists was made at a reception in Cabra Castle, Kingscourt, on November 3 with special guests Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton; Ged Nash, Minister for Business & Employment and Damien English, Minister for Skills, Research & Innovation.
Speaking following Alicia’s success, the Head of Enterprise with the Local Enterprise Office Cavan, Vincent Reynolds, said: “We are proud and honoured to have a representative at the national final in December, as over 1,000 young entrepreneurs entered from every county in Ireland, with tough competition across each category. Our finalist now has a chance of being crowned 'Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneur’ and to win additional investment of up to €50,000 for their business. We’d also like to congratulate all our other nominees and entrants, who 'flew the flag’ for us at the county and regional finals and the Local Enterprise Office looks forward to supporting their businesses into the future.”