Galway-Based Super Foods Company has turned to people power to grow jobs for the Region.

Galway-Based Super Foods Company has turned to people power to grow jobs for the Region.

Galway-Based Super Foods Company has turned to people power to grow jobs for the Region.

‘Raw Kitchen’, is the latest small business to turn to Ireland’s newest crowd funding platform, Linked Finance to expand their business and generate employment.

The company, which based in Westside, Co Galway, delivers raw and super foods nationwide.

It opened in 2011 and has proved a remarkable success.

Now, the company, which employs seven people, want to extend their premises with a view to creating a further 13 jobs over the next 18 months.

To do this Raw Kitchen has become the latest of a fast growing number of smart businesses which are bypassing the banking system and turning to Crowd Funding.

Crowd Funding is a new initiative to Ireland where businesses can apply to have their loans fully funded by members of the public through a new online company called Linked Finance. Since Linked Finance commenced in March 2013 more than half a million euro has been raised by Linked Finance and is ready to be loaned out to more businesses in Galway seeking credit now.

Raw Kitchen specialise in ‘ superfoods’ and supply 100 health food shops nationwide.

The current ‘superfood’ line of products range from healthy sweeteners, nutritious seeds and berries to powders. 

Raw Kitchen  currently export to countries such as Slovenia and the UK.

Now, they are looking for a business loan of €20,000 to extend into the lucrative international market and extend their current premises. Through Crowd Funding Raw Kitchen will also be in a position to significantly increase its buying power which will benefit local organic farmers and the local economy.

The original team of just two has grown to 9, with a view to increasing the workforce to 20 in the next 18 months.

Peter O’Mahony who runs the Laughter Lounge in Dublin set up Linked Finance with the backing of prominent businessmen Kingsley Aikens, Bobby Kerr and Feargal Quinn.

Mr O’Mahony said: “This concept is new to Ireland, but is a successful method for SME funding in the UK. It is a simple way to inject cash into supporting small to medium sized enterprises, bypassing the often restrictive and cumbersome banking system. We are delighted that a business as innovative as Raw Kitchen has decided to come on board, we know it will prove very popular with our lenders.”

Niall Fennell, of Raw Kitchen, said: “We decided to go down the Crowd Funding route with Linked Finance because it is much more of a personable experience than you would have with the banks. We are not just a number, we are a company with a heartbeat and through crowd funding we feel we are being understood.

Peter concluded: “The aim of Linked Finance is not only to provide investment, but to build strong business relationships, as a company’s lenders become its customers, ambassadors and salespeople.”

For more information on becoming a borrower or lender visit linkedfinance.com.

Ireland’s Raw Kitchen: www.irelandsrawkitchen.ie

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