Clon Black Pudding is back home – with up to 100 jobs

By Kieran O’Mahony

UP to 100 new jobs will be created over the coming years with the opening of Clonakilty Food Company’s new €7m facility in the town. 

After an absence of 18 years the company will produce its iconic black pudding, which appears on menus all over the world, back where their incredible success story started. 

The new development has the potential to create almost 100 jobs in the town over the next few years, as the company transitions from the current facility in Little Island, over the coming months, and looks forward to scaling up with new products. 

The Western Road site will also feature a new visitor centre, expected to open next summer, which will immerse visitors in the history and tradition of Clonakilty
Black Pudding.

Clonakilty native and chief executive of Bord Bia, Tara McCarthy, officially opened the new 5,000 sq m facility on Monday, and said it gave the town impressive international food credentials. 

She said the world-famous business was synonymous with quality and praised chief executive Colette Twomey and her family for their commitment. 

 ‘When you see the facilities you can see the ambition – there’s a future for expansion in the blueprint and that will significantly enhance everything around it,’ said Tara.

‘We’re now on the map, Clonakilty Food Company, Clonakilty Black Pudding and Clonakilty itself, not just domestically, but increasingly internationally, as well.’

Colette Twomey, chief executive of Clonakilty Food Company, said this success story was a team effort and they were thrilled to be ‘back home’.

‘Why Clonakilty? Because Clonakilty is the heart, soul and the pulse of everything to do with community. It’s got everything you could want in a place, and this is where it all started, so this was a very natural place to be.

‘We are really proud of our new home in Clonakilty that will facilitate our company’s vision for growth. 

‘We have ambitious plans to scale-up internationally and this new plan enables us to do so,’ she told the assembled crowd. ‘Our visitor centre will also be a new direction for Clonakilty Food Company and we are looking forward to becoming part of the town’s bustling tourism industry. Clonakilty is a fantastic place to live and do business.’