FIVE students from Coláiste na Carraige will travel to Budapest later this week to represent Ireland in the European Young Entrepreneur competition.
The transition year students – Mary Kate Carr, Aimée Byrne, Rebecca McShane and Ronan O’Hare – as well as a new member, Paddy McShane, travel to the Hungarian capital after winning the Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Award this year through Foróige.
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,” Mary Kate said.
Market Research carried out by the group found that the only other Carrageen Moss products available was dried seaweed and as such there was a gap in the market for their products.
“We realised that our target market could be segmented into people who have a keen interest in health food and unique, quirky artisan products,” she added.
The group used Facebook (milseog na mara) and twitter (@milseognamara) to promote their business.
The jars of jellies and chocolate mousse cost €3 and are available at select country markets.
The group recently filmed with Eileen Magnier for RTE’s Nationwide after she visited them at their school in Carrick. The piece will be broadcast this evening.