ABOUT FOOD COAST DONEGAL
A Network Built By Donegal Food, For Donegal Food.
Food Coast Donegal is a member-led network connecting producers, food businesses, retailers, and experiences across the county. We exist to champion what Donegal grows, catches, makes, and serves — and to make sure more people can discover it, taste it, and be proud of it..
OUR STORY
Donegal has always had extraordinary food. The Atlantic on three sides. Rich farmland inland. A heritage of fishing, growing, and making that runs deep in communities across the county. What was missing was a shared voice — a way for all of that to be seen and celebrated together.
Food Coast Donegal was set up to be that voice. To connect the farmer in Inishowen with the restaurant in Donegal Town. To help the small producer in the Gaeltacht get their product onto menus and into shops. To make Donegal a place that food lovers, from Ireland and beyond, put at the top of their list.
We started under the Local Enterprise Office and have grown into an independent organisation run by and for our members. Everyone around the table has a stake in what we’re building.
We’re still early in that journey, and we’re building it with our members every step of the way.
OUR VISION
To make Donegal’s food culture something everyone can see, taste, and be proud of — from field to fork, and from locals to visitors.
OUR MISSION
To support and grow Donegal’s food economy by connecting producers and businesses, promoting local sourcing, and celebrating the people and products that make our region unique.
OUR WORK
What We Do & How We Work.
Food Coast Donegal is active across a few areas — all of them connected to the same goal of a stronger, more visible Donegal food economy.
We Connect
We bring producers, chefs, retailers, and experience providers into the same network — so they can trade with each other, learn from each other, and grow together.
We Support
We seek out training, funding, and development opportunities that are genuinely useful for food businesses — and we share them with our members before anyone else.
We Promote
Through our website, food map, social media, and events, we put Donegal food businesses in front of visitors, buyers, and the media. We champion our members at every opportunity.
We Advocate
As a collective, our members have a voice that individual businesses don’t. We use that voice with funders, tourism bodies, and policymakers to make sure Donegal food gets the investment and recognition it deserves.
OUR AIMS
What We're Working Towards.
- Get more local food onto local menus
- Build local pride in our food culture
- Gain recognition for Donegal food nationally and internationally
- Help food businesses grow their income and reach new markets
- Provide skills, training, and connections that support business growth
- Develop food innovation infrastructure over the next five to ten years
- Work with funders on initiatives that deliver real value to members
- Attract and develop local talent through education and hands-on experience
- Use our collective voice to influence policy and create opportunities
OUR COMMUNITY
Who We Are Made Of & Who Supports Us.
Food Coast Donegal is built on people. Whether you're a visitor planning a trip, a chef sourcing locally, or a producer growing your business, this network connects you to the best of Donegal food.
OUR MEMBERS
- Farmers, fishers, growers and makers
- Restaurants, cafés, hotels and food venues
- Retailers and farm shops
- Food experiences, distilleries and festivals
OUR PARTNERS
- Local Enterprise Office Donegal
- Donegal Tourism
- Údarás na Gaeltachta
- Fáilte Ireland
- Local education bodies like ETB, ATU
- Local community and industry partners
Stay Connected With Food Coast Donegal.
Stay up to date with news stories, seasonal highlights, and upcoming food events from across Food Coast Donegal.