Cliffs of Moher/Galway: Give us your observations on what stood out to you during your tour of the Cliffs of Moher and the City of Galway.
Today we visited the Cliffs of Moher and Galway. I felt the locations were very interesting, but very touristy. I really liked the views at the Cliffs of Moher. However, when comparing the Cliffs to Howth, I feel that Howth was less of a tourist attraction and therefore more charming (the Cliffs of Moher are the number two tourist attraction in Ireland, according to our tour guide today). In Galway, we browsed around many souvenir shops and boutiques where we purchased gifts for our families. Then we looked around for a good restaurant and went to The Quays for an Irish dinner. The Cliffs of Moher and Galway were certainly touristy but nevertheless we enjoyed the excursion.
FoodCloud: In preparation for your site visit to FoodCloud, this organization has a deep commitment to supporting the local food system in Ireland. Just from reading the article, it resembles an organization in Pittsburgh, 412 Food Rescue, which supports the local food system in Pittsburgh through an emphasis on reducing food waste through food recovery and distributing excess food to local food banks. Based on your quick review of the article on FoodCloud, identify one commercial opportunity and one commercial challenge they are addressing in their efforts to support local food systems.
One commercial opportunity that FoodCloud is addressing is becoming “a financially sustainable organisation with an earned income business model” through the payment of the food collection. Nestle Ireland is the first company to pay FoodCloud, and if others follow suit, then FoodCloud will become financially sustainable and will not need to rely on funding from actors like the Social Innovation Fund Ireland.
One challenge that FoodCloud faces is the further development of technology and services. As the company grows, FoodCloud will have to cater the app and its services to the supermarkets, food manufacturers, and growers that participate in the food-donating process. I believe this is not a problem for FoodCloud because they are recipients of funding from “a whole range of different organisations” which is invested into the technology and services development.
Questions For The Site Visit: Finally, acting as members of consulting teams that might choose to write a group paper about the commercial opportunities and challenges connected to FoodCloud, what specific questions do you have about the business model for FoodCloud that relate to our course material (Triple Bottom Line and sustainability, market segmentation, maximization versus shared value, etc.)? Give us a specific question for tomorrow’s visit.
Are there any competitors in this area of service? What are the main weaknesses of FoodCloud in regards to the business itself? Does FoodCloud have a long-term plan for growth?