About Us

Derek Dunwoody has over 30 years’ experience across various sectors within the food industry, both domestically and internationally, having a strong food science and commercial/business development background. Having completed the Leader for Growth Programme (Irish Management Institute) and Go-Global 4 Growth Programme( DCU)  and worked for several Food Companies , Derek brings with him both strong leadership and strategic growth experience .His skillset has evolved through a multi-disciplinary of functional roles across several companies both within Ireland and abroad, encompassing Technical, R&D, Procurement, Marketing (including Brand Development), Finance (including Equity investment), GM site management, & Grant /Investment experience. The companies he has worked for range in scale and include Kepak,  Glenhaven Foods, Webbs Country Foods( UK-Avara Foods Ltd), Northern Foods ( Green Isle), Liffey Meats, Galmere Fresh Foods &  AllinAll Ingredients).

Anita has over 20 year’s professional scientific experience in water, environmental and food science. Anita has a PhD in Food Science & Nutrition; a first class honours bachelor’s degree in Business in Culinary Arts Management; an M.Sc in Groundwater Resources; a post graduate diploma in Environmental Science; and a primary B.Sc in Natural Science (Hons).  Anita has worked as a researcher in food science for both the Culinary Arts Department at Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in Galway City, and Science Department at ATU, Donegal. Anita has also worked with many Irish food companies in new food product development, shelf-life analysis, physical and chemical analysis, consumer acceptance testing, and food safety.

Colm Foley joined BIA in 2021 as our in-house food technologist. While working full time on the BIA Innovator Campus, Colm is a vital link to the services, resources and knowledge base within Teagasc. Colm holds a higher diploma in Food Science and Technology, an M.Sc in Food & Wine Management, and a Bachelor of Business in Culinary Arts. Through his considerable years’ experience in the food industry with Kinsale Bay Food Company and Filliére Charcuteries (France), Colm has gained extensive experience in food manufacturing and processing, recipe formulation, new product development, food safety, food safety management systems, food standards auditing, HACCP, process flow, fit out consulting, and lean manufacturing principles.

I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Health Science, having graduated from Athlone Institute of Technology in 2020. My academic journey culminated with the presentation of my final year project findings at the 2020 Health Promotion Conference, showcasing my dedication and expertise in the field. During my studies, I also held a managerial position at a popular Irish fast-food restaurant. This role honed my team leadership and customer service skills, providing me with valuable hands-on experience in a fast-paced environment. More recently, I have been part of the dynamic and fast-paced Quality and Technical Department at one of Ireland’s largest pork processing plants for over three years. In this role, I gained extensive experience in maintaining and enhancing food quality standards. Additionally, I qualified with a distinction in Food Standards Auditing, further solidifying my expertise in the field.