Tracie - The Food Business Coach

The Hidden Crisis Behind the PassLet’s be clear: this isn’t one bad boss or a single toxic workplace. It’s systemic.According to Fáilte Ireland’s 2024 Labour Market Insights Report, over 60% of hospitality workers report regularly working beyond their contracted hours. The Irish Hospitality Institute noted that 41% of employees experienced harassment or bullying at work, while research from the University of Galway (2023) highlights that burnout rates among hospitality staff are nearly double the national average.

Entitled consumer behaviour is quietly stripping the profit, joy, and humanity out of my world – the world of independent Irish hospitality that I have given my life to.We do not permit BYO food into our cafe!What it actually costs us to open the doorsMost customers will never see the numbers I work through with food business owners every week – but you need to understand them if you want to know why certain behaviours are unacceptable. Before a single coffee is poured, an independent Irish café has already paid out thousands in deposits, legal fees, fit‑out, equipment, licences, training, stock, signage, tech, and marketing.Then there is the daily “cost of turning the key”:Rising wages and the move towards a living wageEmployer pension contributions under auto‑enrolmentHigh commercial rents and ratesEye‑watering energy and utility bills for ovens, fridges, coffee machines and ventilationInsurance, food‑safety compliance, ongoing training and inspectionsVAT at 13.5% on food service, with the business acting as tax collector and cash‑flow shock absorberNone of this disappears because a customer decides they only want to “just sit”, occupy a four‑top, eat their own food, or spend the bare minimum while using every facility. Those choices land directly on the shoulders of the owner – the same owner you might later complain “suddenly closed” without ever understanding why.How entitlement feeds the closure crisis I’m fightingI spend a lot of my time helping owners understand their numbers, tighten their systems and fight to stay open in the face of rising costs and staff shortages. When you layer entitled customer behaviour on top of thin margins and escalating overheads, it is no surprise to me that we are seeing wave after wave of closures in Irish hospitality.Every outside roll/ sandwich eaten in an independent café, every two‑hour laptop camp for the price of a single drink, every hostile review because an owner enforced a basic boundary – they all contribute to the slow strangling of the very places people claim to “love”. If you value local cafés, restaurants and food trucks – the places that remember your name and your order – then you cannot keep behaving in ways that make it impossible for them to survive.My challenge to youSo here is my ask, as a food business coach, a former operator, and someone who is fiercely protective of Irish hospitality:Eat the business’s food at the business’s tables – don’t bring your own.Order in a way that respects the time and space you’re using, especially at busy times.Honour clear policies on time limits, food‑safety and minimum spends.Give feedback with respect and context, not in the heat of a public online rant.Remember there is a human being – often the owner – behind that counter, not a faceless corporation.Entitled consumer behaviour and the reality of running an independent food business in Ireland cannot both win. If you want cafés and restaurants with soul, character and real hospitality, then it’s time to look at your own behaviour and decide whether you’re helping those doors stay open – or quietly pushing them shut. Mutual respect breeds the most rewarding transactions and allows our towns and villages to nurture entrepreneurship and keeps chains away. We must do better.Honest exemptions need to be highlighted!

Meet the Maker: Felix of Mor Taste – How to Crack Retail in 12 MonthsEver wonder how a brand-new food product gets into every major Irish retailer within a year? Felix of Mor Taste is here to share everything—no closed doors, no secrets held back. Because when you achieve nationwide retail domination with a one-year-old business, the industry sits up and takes notice.In this conversation, we're diving deep into three game-changing areas that transformed Mor Taste from concept to consumer favourite:1. Market-First, Not Product-First: The Gap Analysis That Changes EverythingFelix reveals why identifying the market gap and understanding why it exists is the secret weapon most food producers miss. Learn how his world-class retail buying experience (four years managing category teams, plus European innovation strategy at Kellogg's) taught him to design products that retailers say "yes" to in under ten minutes—and how you can apply the same methodology to avoid the expensive trap of emotion-led product development.2. The Pivot That Made It Sexy: From Sugar Reduction to Ireland's Fruitiest JamReducing sugar by 70% is impressive—but it's not sexy enough to sell. Discover how Felix used market research to completely shift his positioning from "better-for-you sugar reduction" to "Ireland's fruitiest jam," and why staying open to criticism and pivoting quickly is the difference between shelf space and retail rejection. This is about reading consumer needs versus your personal mission—and winning on both fronts.3. The Brutal Reality of Retail: Contracts, Standards, and the 80% Failure RateThe food industry doesn't talk about the 80-90% delisting rate within 18 months—but Felix does. He walks us through the impossible decisions small producers face (deliver substandard product or break your contract?), the discipline required to throw away hundreds of jars because they're "not quite right," and why getting your basics right before you launch is the only way to beat those devastating statistics.This isn't just another success story—it's a masterclass in strategic product development, retail navigation, and the mindset shifts that separate brands that survive from brands that thrive.Let's get started.If your business needs a an injection of energy or it is creaking under the weight of rising costs, staff shortages and brutally honest customers, doing nothing is the most expensive decision you can make. Right now, you can have Tracie Daly, Food Business Coach, walk your site in person or sit with you online for fully funded, action‑focused mentoring that tears into the real problems and rebuilds your systems for profit. No more guessing, no more fragile ego – just a straight‑talking expert in your corner, paid for, so you can stop leaking money and start running the business you thought you were building in the first place.Tracie DalyFood Business Coachwww.traciedaly.comtracie@traciedaly.com0851755005

Why these competitions matterThe Kelsius Butcher Wars brought precision, speed, creativity, and showmanship to the fore, challenging butchers to transform whole primals into compelling, commercial, and visually stunning displays in real time. It was a live masterclass in knife skills, yield management, value‑adding, and customer appeal – the very skills that keep independent butcher shops thriving.​Upstairs, the National Irish Steak Challenge put Ireland’s finest beef under intense scrutiny, with over 30 expert judges – chefs, industry leaders, and meat specialists – assessing texture, flavour, and cooking to find true excellence on the plate. This is where genetics, feed, animal welfare, maturation, and butchery all meet the heat of the pan, and where winning is a powerful endorsement for any craft butcher.​The sausage and pudding competitions celebrated innovation and tradition in equal measure, from breakfast staples to imaginative flavour combinations that reflect modern taste. These categories matter commercially; sausages and puddings are everyday heroes of the counter, and recognition here translates directly into customer trust and sales.​Together, these competitions showcase why being part of ACBI Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland is so important:It connects butchers to a respected national network.It sets and maintains high standards of craft, training, and food safety.It creates opportunities for national and international competition, recognition, and growth.It gives independent shops a powerful platform to tell their story and differentiate from mass‑market meat.​In short, this isn’t just about trophies; it’s about safeguarding the future of Irish independent butchery and raising the bar year after year.​

Go to my latest blog post to read this episode in full and download my FREE TOOL that will help you turn an ick into gold: https://www.traciedaly.com/traciedaly-food-business-coach-blogI am a multi award-winning business owner who is determined to provide my services FULLY FUNDED so your business can mind it's bottom line and pump the money back into elevation and improvements. I also owned and ran a multi award-winning cafe so I know your deepest darkest secrets because I lived them too! Let's get to work- email me on tracie@traciedaly.com TODAY and let's press GO on 2026 being profitable and good bloody fun!

DOWNLOAD your FREE ACTION SHEET by going to my website www.traciedaly.com and going to my BLOG and downloading this free ACTION PLAN.Go to my latest blog post to read this episode in full and download my FREE TOOL that will help you turn an ick into gold: https://www.traciedaly.com/traciedaly-food-business-coach-blogI am a multi award-winning business owner who is determined to provide my services FULLY FUNDED so your business can mind it's bottom line and pump the money back into elevation and improvements. I also owned and ran a multi award-winning cafe so I know your deepest darkest secrets because I lived them too! Let's get to work- email me on tracie@traciedaly.com TODAY and let's press GO on 2026 being profitable and good bloody fun!

Insights from my latest blog brought to you by my friends. Saving my voice so you can hear my words but without having to put up with me! Find my blog at www.traciedaly.comGo to my latest blog post to read this episode in full and download my FREE TOOL that will help you turn an ick into gold: https://www.traciedaly.com/traciedaly-food-business-coach-blogI am a multi award-winning business owner who is determined to provide my services FULLY FUNDED so your business can mind it's bottom line and pump the money back into elevation and improvements. I also owned and ran a multi award-winning cafe so I know your deepest darkest secrets because I lived them too! Let's get to work- email me on tracie@traciedaly.com TODAY and let's press GO on 2026 being profitable and good bloody fun!