About Cork Free Choice
The Cork Free Choice Consumers Group
This group was formed in 1989 by customers of two skilled French cheese makers living in West Cork, whose business was threatened by hygiene regulations. The group was not, in the end, able to save the cheeses but once formed attention was turned to other things.
The difficulties encountered by small producers of good products was investigated at meetings and as a result a delegation went to Dublin to request the health and safety officials to reconsider the ban on the sale of goods from home kitchens. A committee was set up to study the risks. New legistation is promised which should restore this right before the end of the year.
The next activity was to set up a Saturday morning street market, for small producers to sell their product directly to the public. This is now in its fourth season.
The main activities last year were to hold talks, discussions and tastings. Producers and manufacturers bring in their goods, talk about their production methods, outlets, costs and difficulties encountered.
This approach has attracted a large audience.
Aims and Objects
To find, support and promote producers of high quality food in Cork City and County, especially small specialists and traditional producers and to put them in touch with interested consumers.
To create more awareness amongst consumers of availability and production methods.
We favour those foods of very good flavour which are not produced intensively and do not contain artificial food enhancers.
Our Web Site
On this web site we hope to keep archives of previous meetings, advertise our activities and support an online discussion group. Unfortunately we do not have the facilities to answer your letters personally but you can contact us at the telephone number above. If you have a site and feel you would like to add us as a link, we would be very interested to talk to you about it.
This group was formed in 1989 by customers of two skilled French cheese makers living in West Cork, whose business was threatened by hygiene regulations. The group was not, in the end, able to save the cheeses but once formed attention was turned to other things.
The difficulties encountered by small producers of good products was investigated at meetings and as a result a delegation went to Dublin to request the health and safety officials to reconsider the ban on the sale of goods from home kitchens. A committee was set up to study the risks. New legistation is promised which should restore this right before the end of the year.
The next activity was to set up a Saturday morning street market, for small producers to sell their product directly to the public. This is now in its fourth season.
The main activities last year were to hold talks, discussions and tastings. Producers and manufacturers bring in their goods, talk about their production methods, outlets, costs and difficulties encountered.
This approach has attracted a large audience.
Aims and Objects
To find, support and promote producers of high quality food in Cork City and County, especially small specialists and traditional producers and to put them in touch with interested consumers.
To create more awareness amongst consumers of availability and production methods.
We favour those foods of very good flavour which are not produced intensively and do not contain artificial food enhancers.
Our Web Site
On this web site we hope to keep archives of previous meetings, advertise our activities and support an online discussion group. Unfortunately we do not have the facilities to answer your letters personally but you can contact us at the telephone number above. If you have a site and feel you would like to add us as a link, we would be very interested to talk to you about it.