Wild Fuschia Bakehouse is one of a number of businesses who will take part in the new #BuyDonegalWeekend initiative which is due to take place from November 6th – 8th 2020.
#BuyDonegalWeekend provides a platform for businesses across the county to highlight their exciting range of products and services. Whether an iconic Donegal brand, boutique, skilled craft, designer or artisan producer, they collectively will showcase the best of Donegal business!
Here we speak to Wild Fuschia Bakehouse, an artisan producer, located in the picturesque Dunfanaghy, who speak about how the business came about, the importance of listening to customers and plans for #BuyDonegalWeekend.
After several years of managing businesses locally, Sian McCann decided to establish a small family bakery called Wild Fuschia Bakehouse in 2017.
Three years, four awards, and a pandemic later, Wild Fuschia Bakehouse has its sights set on becoming an international brand and just recently signed a deal to sell the award winning bread mixes on Amazon UK, alongside her established Irish and expanding European business.
”What I’ve learned the move over the past years is the importance of meeting customer demands. The idea for my bread mixes actually came from Scottish customers who said they couldn’t get anything like this at home and wondered if I could supply a mix for them to bake at home”
Sian has also learned a lot about business and customer management, developing a digital presence and exporting too. As a member of Donegal’s Food Coast and through the support of the Local Enterprise Office Donegal (LEO), she has completed a Start Your Own Business Course, Food Academy and Gateway To Growth Programme. In her own words, she ‘’wouldn’t have got this far without their support”.
While Donegal and the county face continued pandemic restrictions, Wild Fuschia Bakehouse are currently expanding their online presence with a click and collect option for local customers which will enable the business to continue to survive and thrive, despite Covid challenges.
2020 has also seen a changing seasonal customer base for Wild Fuschia. ‘’This year our customers changed a lot, we had so many visitors from places like Cork, Limerick and Galway, they were so positive about Donegal and Dunfanaghy and what I heard time and time again was ‘I thought Donegal was further away, I’ll definitely be back!’’
As well as further digital expansion and partnering with the world’s largest online retailer, Sian is also finalising an exciting new packaging design which she hopes will be available for customers in time for #BuyDonegalWeekend. Wild Fuschia will also have a special Gift Pack available for #BuyDonegalWeekend so customers whether local, further South, in the UK or farther afield can enjoy some of Donegal’s award winning bakery products!
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