Irish Cheese Start-Up Secures Crowdfunding

Michael Thomson, founder of Mike’s Fancy Cheese, used crowdfunding website Seedrs after the banks refused to lend him the money needed to begin production.

He has experience from his time at the School of Artisan Food, Sparkenhoe Red Leicester,  Neal’s Yard Dairy and the Arcadia deli in Belfast.

Mr Thomson said, “During my time at the School of Artisan Food I had the opportunity to make cheese with some of the best cheesemakers in the country, such as Joe Schneider at Stichelton and Jamie Montgomery at Montgomery’s.

“I looked to the banks for the start up money I needed but found a general reluctance because I didn’t have any security. I started looking at different ways and that’s when I came across crowdfunding website Seedrs, which seemed ideal for myself as a young entrepreneur. I needed around £80,000 to turn my idea into a viable business, mostly for the purchase of the necessary equipment.

“The initiative proved immensely successful, and I now have the cash to get moving on producing cheese. The idea of crowdfunding is ideal for a young entrepreneur like myself who hasn’t any real security and little cash to invest. It gave me something to work towards.

“Not coming from a business background, purely just food and cheese production, it’s made me look at it from an investor’s point of view and made me appreciate it more than I had done beforehand.”