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Donegal teens produce tasty treats
using seaweed
12.05.15
Four teenagers from
Donegal are the winners of the Youth Entrepreneur of
the Year Award 2015, organised and run by Foróige,
for their business which produces tasty treats using
seaweed.
The transition year students from Colaiste na
Carraige were amongst the 1,000 participants from
low income communities who set up 600 businesses as
part of this year’s Foróige Network for Teaching
Entrepreneurship (NFTE) programme, generating a
collective turnover of €250,000. |
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Mary Kate Carr (15), Aimée Byrne
(16), Rebecca McShane (16) and Ronan O’Hare (15)
from Glencolmcille were crowned the winners at a
ceremony in the Mansion House, Dublin. |
Their business ‘Milseog
na Mara’, meaning Desserts of the Sea, offers healthy
alternatives to jellies and chocolate mousse using a
type of locally sourced seaweed – Carrageen Moss –
as the main ingredient.
“Our idea came to us when I got sick and my family
made me a cold remedy using Carrageen Moss. Not only
did I get over the cold quickly but I realised this
jelly like substance could be used in alternative
ways to make chilled deserts and jellies,” said Mary
Kate.
The jars of jellies and chocolate mousse cost €3 and
are available at select country markets. Since
Milseog na Mara was established last October, the
business has generated an income of €438. The group
is now hoping to expand their business. “Our product
has a huge potential for development as it’s so
versatile. We are currently looking at healthy ice
lollies for children further down the line,” added
Mary Kate.
They will now go on the represent Ireland at the
European Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards
taking place in Budapest in November. |
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