A €100,000 investment at Tom Durcan Meats at the English Market is an endorsement of Cork’s improving economy, and his spiced beef’s popularity, which has been ordered from as far away as Singapore this year.
Tom Durcan.
Picture: Denis Minihane.
“We’ve been horsing out spiced beef; in the shop we’ve sold 15 tonnes, and 25 tonnes nationwide over the Christmas period,” said Mr Durcan.
He has even sent two kilos of spiced beef to Singapore this year, to an ex-pat who is ill in hospital there.
Mr Durcan has filled orders to 18 countries in total, mostly in Europe, including Italy, Spain, Holland, France and Eastern Europe.
“A lot of international orders are from ex-pats, but tourists who visited Cork on holidays also order a lot,” he said.
Spiced beef was originally made as a foodstuff to feed boat crew on long journeys at sea, so it is naturally well-suited for export.
Mr Durcan said that the most international requests have come from the US, and although current trade laws have prevented him from sending those orders, he hopes that the US market may open up this year.
Mr Durcan’s spiced beef has seen a large increase in national sales this year too due to a distribution deal with SuperValu supermarket chain.
The €100,000 revamp of his business took place over two weeks while the shop remained fully operational.