Martin Smyth
Managing Director
Martin Smyth is an industry leader in Ireland’s food sector, passionate about the food production journey that stretches from farm to fork. He holds a Certificate of Agriculture from Mountbellew Agricultural College and a degree in Food Science and Poultry Management from the Munster Institute. Martin has built an extensive career spanning over three decades, starting his journey in the food industry while still in college and continuing to play a pivotal role in the development of many businesses today. As the Managing Director of Ketam Ltd, Martin focuses on helping small and medium-sized companies navigate their way into Ireland’s major retail markets. He works closely with clients to devise tailored strategies and supports them at every stage, from market entry to international expansion. Martin's ability to help companies grow from small operations into major suppliers, turning their potential into success stories, has been the hallmark of his career. Martin’s dedication to empowering smaller companies is evident through his hands-on approach, offering expert guidance on resolving issues related to stock shortages, packaging challenges, and other operational concerns. His experience, bolstered by his work with Invest NI and Bord Bia, enables him to spot trends in the Irish market by leveraging key resources like Kantar reports. Driven by a philosophy of supporting the growth and sustainability of food businesses, Martin aims to help companies exceed their own expectations, ensuring they are fully prepared to compete in the retail sector.
Mervyn Jones
Retail Strategy & Mentor
Mervyn Jones is a knowledgeable industry veteran with over 35 years in retail and purchasing, beginning his career in 1987 with Stewarts Supermarkets. He quickly rose from a warehouse assistant to an assistant store manager before transitioning to the Henderson Group in 1993, where he took on his first buying role. Mervyn's career path took him through various buying positions, including roles at Asda as a Buying Manager for Northern Ireland and Scotland, managing categories such as Meat, Cooked Meats, and Ready Meals. After completing contracts with Savage, Whitten, and Nisa, he founded his consultancy, Mervyn Jones and Associates, in 2016. The inspiration to establish his own business came from his time at Asda, where he led the first year of the Supplier Development Programme. This experience sparked his interest in helping food and drink companies in Ireland grow by offering them training and mentoring. Now in his ninth year of business, Mervyn brings extensive expertise in retailing and purchasing, specialising in preparing SMEs to meet buyers effectively. His understanding of the buyer's perspective and practical experience enable him to offer invaluable guidance to his clients. Mervyn Jones and Associates provides various services, including training in Route to Market strategies, Gap Analysis, Value Proposition articulation, and Buyer Finance. Mervyn also focuses on developing business strategies, effective account management, and preparing businesses for successful buyer pitches. His clients benefit from his ability to translate complex buying processes into actionable insights that drive growth and success. Mervyn designs and delivers tailored training programs for food and drink businesses, working with organisations like Invest NI, Food NI, NIFDA, Aldi Ireland, and Lidl Ireland. His professional philosophy emphasises building sustainable food businesses focusing on local sourcing and reducing food miles. He advocates for leveraging networks and the expertise of seasoned professionals to mentor a new generation of entrepreneurs. Mervyn stays updated with industry trends by collaborating with Invest NI's Consumer Insights Team and utilising world-class data available through Invest NI and Bord Bia.
Gavin Sherry
Costings & Production Flow Expert
Gavin Sherry is a seasoned expert in the food industry, with an academic foundation in Human Nutrition from the University of Ulster, where he graduated with First Class Honours. Initially drawn to pure research, Gavin worked for Unilever Research and later at the University of Ulster, focusing on biologically active peptides in growth and development, which led to two publications. His transition into the food industry began with a role as an R&D Graduate Trainee with the Kerry Group, where he developed his skills across various roles, eventually becoming Purchasing Director at Pierre’s Foodservice. His career included notable achievements such as being a member of the senior management team that oversaw significant growth at Pierre’s Foodservice from €17 to €55m over four years, contributing to the success of Big Al’s and Rustlers brands during his time at Kepak Convenience Foods. In more recent years, Gavin has dedicated himself to food consultancy, bringing his vast experience to a wide range of clients, from micro-businesses to SMEs, while also serving as the Managing Director of Radix Consultancy. Gavin’s diverse expertise encompasses cost modelling, upscaling project management, lean manufacturing, procurement, strategic innovation, and food safety system design. His ability to view challenges from multiple perspectives allows him to offer comprehensive solutions that drive strategic growth for his clients. He is also adept at mentoring, ensuring that his clients not only receive expert guidance but also gain the skills and knowledge to continue growing independently. At KETAM, Gavin offers a suite of specialised services including upscaling and lean process design, cost modelling, recipe and product development, shelf life validation, food safety and quality management system design, and procurement. His philosophy of integrating innovation, efficiency, and food safety into every project ensures that his clients achieve sustainable success in the competitive food and beverage industry.
Iliyana Petkovska
Food Safety Compliance & BRCGS Specialist
Iliyana Petkovska is a highly experienced professional in the food industry with over 20 years of expertise, beginning her career as an assistant retail manager in 1998. Her passion for food safety and quality led her to pursue extensive education in food science and food safety management, becoming an expert for BRCGS standards and gaining expertise in HACCP implementation, risk assessment, and internal audits. Iliyana has worked in various sectors, including bakery, meat, poultry, and fresh produce, where she has served as a Technical Manager and consultant. Her diverse background has equipped her with a deep understanding of food safety standards across the industry, making her a valuable asset to her clients. Iliyana offers her clients comprehensive guidance in food safety, drawing from her vast experience working in different manufacturing sites. She is adept at navigating complex food safety standards, ensuring that her clients adopt the correct and safe methods for food production. Her practical knowledge, which goes beyond what can be learned from books, allows her to provide actionable advice that enhances her clients' operational efficiency and compliance with industry regulations. Iliyana's motto, "Do it right the first time because you may not get a second chance," reflects her commitment to excellence and precision in food safety management. Currently, Iliyana serves as a Technical Manager at a fresh salads site, where she oversees all aspects of food safety compliance, customer complaints, and food safety management systems. Her role involves managing internal and external audits, driving various projects, and working closely with growers to ensure the safe production and packaging of fresh produce. Throughout her career, Iliyana has contributed to achieving high-level certifications and accolades for her teams, including Gold Origin Green membership and Gold M&S Feed to Fork certification. Her professional philosophy emphasizes the importance of staying informed about industry changes, continuously studying new regulations, and conducting ongoing risk assessments to maintain robust food safety practices.
Eugene McLaughlin
Field Marketing, Activation & Events Specialist
Eugene McLaughlin, originally from Donegal and now residing in County Meath with his wife and five children, holds a Diploma in Business Studies, a Degree in Marketing, and a Postgraduate qualification in Public Relations. As a Director of BrandTactics, a prominent field marketing and events company, Eugene brings his extensive expertise to the KETAM panel of experts. With over 30 years of experience in the FMCG sector, Eugene has held key roles, including Account Manager and Operations Manager at Tradewins, one of Ireland’s leading field marketing companies. His deep-rooted passion for the food industry, influenced by his family background, has driven him to help businesses optimise their products and strategies, enhancing their market presence and operational efficiency. His professional experience encompasses field marketing brand activation, experiential marketing, front and back of house merchandising, product launches, mystery shopping, competitor activity analysis, instore compliance, business insights, market intelligence, brand distribution audits, competitor audits, promotional display compliance, price integrity checks, gap analysis and range reviews, category space analysis, photo audits, and bespoke data analytics. Everything you need to operate in a competitive retail environment.
Gary Gartland
Brand Development & Graphic Design Specialist
Gary Gartland is the founder and director of Gary Gartland Design, an industry-leading creative brand agency in Co. Meath, Ireland. Since its establishment in 2006, the agency has distinguished itself as an expert in brand development, design, and digital services. With a unique focus on approachability, positivity, and a forward-thinking approach, Gary Gartland Design is always at the forefront of industry changes. Renowned for their approach to brand development, the agency delivers creative solutions that deeply resonate with clients and their target audiences. The agency's comprehensive service offerings will meet all branding needs. From positioning and focus workshops to new product development, brand identity development, packaging and corporate design, and website and social media design, their expert team has it all covered. They also deliver incredible photography, styling, and marketing support materials to ensure seamless brand communication across digital and print platforms. The core values of approachability, positivity, effectiveness, and vision are at the heart of the business. These values not only guide the company's operations but also underscore its commitment to crafting tailor-made solutions for businesses across diverse sectors, such as retail, food and drink, healthcare, and beyond. This commitment ensures that each client's unique needs and goals are fully understood and met. Under Gary's expert guidance, Gary Gartland Design has left an indelible mark on Ireland's food and drink industry. The agency has shaped some of the most recognized brands, including McCloskey's Bakery, Richmount Cordial Company, Connolly's Bacon, Drummond House Garlic, Farm Range, Diggers, Seafest, Ard Mhaca Irish Gourmet Mushrooms, The Wooded Pig, Cockagee Cider, and The Black Water Smokehouse. These success stories are a testament to our extensive retail and food service branding expertise, allowing us to deliver visually appealing designs and strategic branding solutions that resonate with consumers and retailers.
Brian Gargan
Fitz Scientific, World Class Monitoring & Testing
Fitz Scientific stands as one of Ireland’s leading independent laboratories, offering world class environmental and food monitoring testing services. Established in 2000 with a small team, we have expanded into a world-class facility with over 200 professionals. Renowned for our exceptional expertise, outstanding customer service, and excellent value, we are committed to exceeding our customers' expectations with our top-tier monitoring and testing capabilities. We serve a diverse range of clients, including government agencies, utility companies, healthcare providers, pharmaceuticals, and food production and service companies. Our services provide clients with prompt, reliable data in various formats, enabling crucial operational decisions.
Michael Fitzsimons
Trademark Attorney, Commercial & Intellectual Property lawyer
Michael Fitzsimons is a trademark and legal brand protection specialist, proactively managing a large international portfolio of trademarks and other IP rights for his clients. He works with clients throughout the human and animal food, beverage and supplements sector, brands, producers, manufacturers, distributors and retailers, from solo entrepreneurs to FTSE100 FMCG multinationals. With a background in marketing and sales at senior levels of leading consumer companies, including in the food retail sector (a graduate of UCD Commerce and UCD Smurfit Graduate School of Business Marketing Practice), Michael is an Irish practising solicitor who is also admitted to the Law Society of England and Wales, and is an Irish and European Union Trademark and Design Right Attorney. An experienced litigator, he has led significant Supreme, High and Commercial Court actions, including injunctions and search orders. As the principal of TMR Fitzsimons, a boutique trademark attorneys and law firm Michael specialises in advising commercial clients on IP and related commercial contracts, disputes, concerns and opportunities. “I established TMR Fitzsimons as a trademark attorneys and law firm focused on trademarks and related commercial agreements and litigation in order to encourage and guide businesses to fully exploit and protect this valuable intellectual property asset that lies at the heart of their business.” Michael’s 360° perspective, integrated IP, commercial and litigation philosophy, with a practical focus on his clients' strengths and position matches the integrated service, sustainable success ethos of KETAM. Michael will offer preliminary trademark and ip search and risk assessments, trademark and ip applications & protection, ip portfolio management, trademark monitoring and ip enforcement, cease & desists, defence advice as well as related commercial and ip agreements, transactions and litigation services.
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ADDRESS
KETAM
Bandon,
Co Cork.
P72PX68
Ireland
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Created by Gary Gartland Brand | Design | Digital