Rosie Explaining To An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, The Art Of Bagel-making!

"An American making NY bagels in Ireland and shipping them by the container to France, the bread capital of the world... now I’ve seen it all!"
An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny

Broadway Bagels Featured In The Sunday Times

The Sunday Times

Rosie Sheehan admits she never had any desire to be her own boss. But when the native New Yorker landed in Dungarvan, Co Waterford in 2000, she didn't have much choice. "There weren't too many jobs round here at the time," she said. Instead Sheehan, who is aged 44, opened a coffee shop. It tanked. Just one year after opening the venture into which she and her Irish husband Des sank their life savings (Euro 40,000) she was left with an empty unit and an emptier bank account.

She had come to Ireland because her sister had married a Waterford man and moved there, "and I missed her". When she got here, what she missed most about New York were the bagels. "I just couldn't get them here so when I opened the coffee shop we specialised in bagels, and while the business wasn't a success, the bagels were," said Sheehan. "When the coffee shop closed, we had no means of survival but we still had our bagel machine."

She began bringing samples to cafes and restaurants in Dublin and Broadway Bagels was born, with Sheehan delivering herself from her car boot. By 2004, when she launched a frozen bagel range, she appointed a specialist distributor with frozen transport. Launching what is now her core product was hard. "Supermarket buyers were reluctant at first, because there was no product category for frozen bagels," she said. "In any case, as a small company with only two products at the time, we needed a distributor to get supermarket listings."

It was a decision she was to rue years later. In the meantime however, sales were rising like freshly baked bread, thanks in no small part to a star turn on TV. "RTE asked us to do a programme called The Mentor, a forerunner of Dragons Den, with people like Jay Bourke giving advice to young businesses." Such was the reaction to her appearance that stocks sold out the following week and buyers' initial reservations dissipated. The mentoring was helpful too. "One of the things suggested was that I move my office out of the house, which proved my saving grace for me. I had a problem switching off, was always checking emails and working 24/7 and I would have burnt out," she recalled.

By 2006 the business had started exporting to the UK. Indeed bagels had become so popular that rival brands were proliferating. "By 2007 we had to relaunch as Rosie's Broadway Bagels, because there were too many New York sounding names around and we wanted to differentiate ourselves," she said. She developed new varieties, including cinnamon and raisin for the sweet toothed and plain lunchbox sized ones for kids. In recent years she has broadened out the product range out further still, leveraging the brand's American heritage to create new snack food products including bagel based pizza and, more recently, cookie dough.

In 2009 however, the firm hit an almighty speed bump. "It was our annus horribilis. Our distributor was sold and the new owner, which deals in very big brands, did a category review of all its brands and delisted a number, including ourselves." Having worked so hard to build up her trade it was, she said, "soul destroying". It also wiped out 40% of her turnover. Only from this distance can she see it as 'a blessing in disguise'. "The fact is that although we were selling to all the big supermarket, I had never met a buyer. When you deal with distributors, you never do. When the distributor delisted us I had to go out and start meeting them, pitching to them and developing relationships with them." It was hard work, but over the following months she was one by one relisted by all the supermarkets she had lost.

"It was incredibly hard. Supermarket orders tend to be self generated from sales history but in some cases our delisting had wiped out our sales history. Luckily I had loads of letters and emails I could show them from their customers wondering where my bagels had gone." These days she outsources delivery to a third party and the savings she makes from no longer having a distributor's margin she spends on marketing and promotions.

Turnover has recovered to in excess of Euro 500,000 and the business is "highly profitable", she said. It currently produces 40, 000 to 50,000 bagels a week, a figure on track to 'grow dramatically' this year on the back of a new emphasis on exports. "Last year we started selling to Italy, France and Spain. In particular, we've been working closely with Bord Bia to win a number of contracts in France, to the point that we already sell more bagels into the French market than we do to food service in Ireland, so it's very substantial," she said.

Despite her success, it's only relatively recently that Sheehan, who has 14 employees, has begun to feel like an entrepreneur. "It has grown on me, but what I really want to be is a writer," she laughed. She also wishes she had a little more business nous starting out. "I remember someone asking whether or not I had done a feasibility study, and I had no idea what that was," she said. "To be honest, I think I could have saved myself a lot of heartache along the way if I'd been a little better equipped businesswise. Then again, if I knew more at the time I probably would never have done it." There is one thing she would do differently however. "I would never put all my eggs in one (distributor's) basket again."

Fast-Growing Irish Firms Expand Abroad

www.businessworld.ie

A Waterford bagel baker run by a husband and wife team and a Dublin architecture and design practice were both today celebrating big contract wins abroad.

Waterford Food Company, Rosie's Broadway Bagels today announced that it has expanded its exports into Europe and is now serving customers across four European countries.

Earlier this year, the Company announced its first shipment of 10,000 Bagels into Spain through American Food importer, 'Taste of America' and supermarket distributor 'Frico-dan' which supplies the 'Dinosol' chain. Following this initial success, Rosie's Broadway Bagels is now distributing an additional 23,000 Bagels through French distributor 'Forezia' and directly to food outlets 'Cristalli de Zucchero' in Italy and 'Blakemore' in the United Kingdom.

Based in Dungarvan, Waterford, Rosie's Broadway Bagels was established in 2002 by husband and wife entrepreneurs Des and Rosie Sheehan.

"We are delighted that our Bagel products are the subject of continued interest amongst distributors and food outlets in Europe. Domestically it's a considerable challenge to secure competitive shelf space amongst Irish retailers so the continued interest from the European mainland comes as a welcome boost," said Rosie Sheehan.

Meanwhile, Dublin-based HKR Architects said that it has recently won a number of international contracts.

This is the result of a successful strategy of geographic diversification and refocusing HKR's business on large-scale international architecture and design projects. HKR has been awarded contracts to design a new airport in the Middle East and a large resort in Slovenia.

HKR is re-structuring its UK business, expanding its London office but will close its regional office in Manchester.

"We are pleased to announce a number of new international project wins which reflect our focus on increased geographic diversity. These project wins also reflect the unique design skill-set we have developed across our practice over many years. Consistent with our focus on large-scale international projects, we are expanding our London office to support the needs of our growing international client base. We have, however, also taken the decision to close our regional office in Manchester and will serve our UK and international client base from our expanded London office," said Jerry Ryan, HKR Architects CEO.

Broadway Bagels Expands Horizons Southward To Spain

Sunday Business Post
By James Enright

Last week the company announced it was expanding by exporting to Spain. "There was a big market in the States for frozen, pre-sliced bagels. We figured we could transfer that to Ireland and supply major retail chains," said Sheehan. After months of tweaking and wasting "skips of dough", the Sheehans finally concocted a satisfactory recipe. They rely on the healthiest of ingredients sourced in Ireland, and omit preservatives and additives.

"We try to increase consumer awareness of healthy eating. A frozen bagel is so much healthier than a 21 day shelf life bagel loaded with preservatives. It is an ongoing education process," said Sheehan.

With a target market of discerning foodies and health conscious parents, the company has 14 employees, including a full time quality assurance officer. Working at full capacity, the plant can produce 25,000 bagels a day.

The last year has proved challenging as the company lost its distributor, which forced its bagels off the shelves of major supermarkets. "In that period, we had hundreds of e-mails asking where our bagels had gone and demanding that they return," Sheehan said. She had to renegotiate a deal with retailers to get her product back onto the shelf. Broadway Bagels' stock has risen considerably since then. The first shipment of 10,000 bagels will be distributed in Spain through American food importer, Taste of America and supermarket distributor Fricodan, which supplies the Dinosol chain.

"We are very grateful to An Bórd Bia for seeking new opportunities and clients for us. The export market has huge potential. We wish to develop our product further and break into new markets," said Sheehan.

As a co-founder of the Dungarvan Junior Special Olympics committee, the movement holds a special place in Sheehan's heart. The company donated 30,000 bagels to the athletes, coaches and volunteers taking part in this year's Special Olympic Games held in Limerick. The company is now turning its attentions to building up a strong brand and diversifying its products.

"We hope to produce brown, multiseed and gluten-free bagels in the future. We are constantly looking to expand our retail listing," Sheehan said.

"Our advantage is the taste. European bagels are more lumpy and doughy, ours are lighter. We are keen to continue developing and exporting our products."

Rosie's Clinches Bagel Deal With Pat

www.bakeryinfo.co.uk

Ireland's only dedicated kosher bagel bakery, Rosie's Broadway Bagels, has teamed up with the country's third-largest plant baker, Pat the Baker, to dual-brand three existing varieties.

Rosie's founders, Rosie and Des Sheenan said they had been looking to formulate a deal with a plant bakery in order to extend the distribution of their products as a fresh rather than frozen option. There are also plans to introduce a third daily production shift at the bagel factory.

The three dual-branded varieties on offer are: plain, poppy seed and The Works – a bagel topped with poppy, sesame, toasted garlic and fresh minced onions.

'We're aiming at mums and dads who want to give their family healthy options; young urban professionals; people who've travelled to the US and want real bagels; and consumers who support Irish brands,' said Rosie.

The bakery was established in Dungarvan, Co Waterford in 2001.

Broadway Bagels Teams Up With Pat the Baker

Dungarvan Observer

ROSIE'S Broadway Bagels,Ireland's only dedicated, kosher bagel bakery has teamed up with Ireland's premier award-winning bread company, Pat the Baker to launch a dual-branded range of authentic, New York-style fresh bagels.

Since starting in 2001, Rosie, who hails from NY, and her Dublin-born husband Des have produced an astonishing 20 million of their delicious, all natural, preservative-free bagels in Dungarvan, Co.Waterford.

Already available as a "jumbo bagel" offering under the "Rosie's" brand in supermarket freezer cabinets all over Ireland, Rosie's Broadway Bagels is excited about this innovative expansion. Says Rosie, 2008's WMB Entrepreneur of the Year, "We are delighted to be associated with Pat the Baker, who have a reputation for the freshness of their quality products. We worked for several months on the development of this fresh range, in striving to preserve the integrity of both of our brands. We are delighted that we have been able to maintain the quality of our bagels, naturally and without compromise." Added Des, "With so many food products being imported from overseas, contributing to the loss of jobs in the food manufacturing sector in Ireland, it is commendable that Pat the Baker has partnered with an Irish-owned and managed family bakery...supporting Irish jobs and Irish industry. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Pat the Baker." The new range of Pat and Rosie's fresh bagels are listed nationally, and consists of 3 flavours; Poppy Seed, Rosie's famous - The Works and Plain. Rosie's Broadway Bagels has just been named Best in Ireland by Bridgestone for the third year running, and is the recipient of 2 Great Taste Awards.

Broadway Bagels Shortlisted For The Small Firms Association (SFA) Business Awards 2009

Waterford News And Star
By Marion O'Mara

Broadway Bagels, which was set up in Dungarvan in 2001 and currently employs 18 people, has been short-listed in the food and drink section of the Small Firms Association (SFA) business awards for 2009.

The company was established by Dubliner Des Sheehan and his American wife Rosie. Having lived in New York, they saw a gap in the Irish market for the tasty bread.

Despite not having a background in large scale baking, manufacturing, distribution or marketing - Rosie had been working in the office of the Transport Workers' Union in Manhattan while Des was engaged in the construction industry - the couple set up Ireland's first bagel company dedicated to producing authentic bagels made to a New York recipe.

Their aim was to bring to an emerging and discerning society of food lovers a range of bagels made with no preservatives, no additives and no cholesterol.

Since then they have gone from success to success, moving out of a small back-room bakery with two people producing about hundred bagels a day to a 2,500 square foot factory producing over 10,000 bagels a day.

Last October Rosie was named Entrepreneur of the Year 2008. The award was presented to her at a gala ceremony by 'Women Mean Business' magazine.

Now the company is in line for further honours as it competes against businesses from Tipperary, Cork, Dublin and Mayo.

All of the finalists this year will receive a comprehensive management training prize comprising firstly of a Strategic Management Masterclass.

This will take the format of a residential weekend where finalists will be immersed in an entrepreneurial environment. They will also receive a full day Interactive Media Skills training programme.

The final awards will be presented by the Taoiseach at a gala lunch on March 5, 2009.

Dungarvan Business Woman Named Entrepreneur Of The Year 2008

Dungarvan People Newspaper

A New York business woman who moved her whole family to Dungarvan in 2001 and set up a bagel factory has been named as Entrepreneur of the Year. Dungarvan-based businesswoman Rosie Sheehan, of Broadway Bagels has been named Entrepreneur of the Year 2008. The award was presented to her at a gala ceremony by 'Women Mean Business' magazine last week.

Rosie Sheehan, who runs Broadway Bagels with her husband Des, was shortlisted from hundreds of entries from across the country for the awards. The award was presented at a gala conference in Dublin by 'Women Mean Business' magazine in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, last week.

The award comes after years of hard slog for Rosie and Des who struggled for a long time to make a go of the business as well as trying to adjust to life in Dungarvan.

'To win the award is fantastic and a validation for what we have been working for so hard and so long,' Rosie told the Dungarvan People. 'I am over the moon with the award, because when we started out neither myself or Des had any business experience. But this award is fantastic and it is great for the business.'

Rosie said that the conference was a great opportunity to network with other businesses and speakers at the event included Ronan Keating and Claire Byrne, sponsors through the Marie Keating Foundation, as well as Karren Brady from Birmingham city FC.

Rosie appeared on Today FM's Sunday business show at the weekend to discuss her win and her business.

Rosie and Des started Broadway Bagels in Dungarvan in 2001 and the company has grown from there. They now employ up to 18 people and supply their product to supermarkets and export to the UK.

Photo: David Clynch Photography

Rosie Sheehan Has Been Named Entrepreneur Of the Year 2008

Dungarvan Observer Newspaper

We are pleased to announce that Rosie Sheehan has been named Entrepreneur of the Year 2008 from Women Mean Business Magazine.

The award was presented at the annual conference at the Shelbourne Hotel. Speakers at the conference included Claire Byrne and Ronan Keating, sponsors through the Marie Keating Foundation, as well as Karren Brady from Birmingham City FC and Caroline Casey, from Kanchi. Rosie Sheehan appeared on the Today FM Sunday Business Show this week at 11.15 a.m.

Photo Caption: Rosie Sheehan of Broadway Bagels and WMB Editor Rosemary Delaney.

Manhattan Maiden Makes Dungarvan's Perfect Bagel

Dungarvan People Newspaper
By Justine Dwyer

ROSIE Sheehan arrives for our inter-view on roller blades, gliding into the Ormond restaurant like a breath of fresh air on skates!

She's carrying a battered old New York Yankees ruck sack on her back and from it she produces a bunch of Rhubarb which she hands to the owner of the restaurant. 'We have a barter-system going here,' he quips.

Quite how this Manhattan maiden managed to adapt to country living in Dungarvan is beyond me, but Rosie Sheehan possesses the glowing vitality of a country girl. Half of the 'brains' behind Broadway Bagels, Rosie and her husband Des arrived in Dungarvan Christmas 2000 with a one-year-old and three-month-old in tow They have since added to their brood with a third boy who is now four.

'Des is from Dublin; we met in New York. Neither of us had any connection with Dungarvan other than my sister had moved here with her husband in the Spring of that year and I missed her so much that we decided to move too.'

Neither of them had a background in the food industry Rosie worked for the Transport Workers' Union and Des had a construction company.

'We were looking for something to do when we came here, something different. I thought starting a construction company here with no contacts would be just too difficult.'

The thinking behind Broadway Bagels wasn't some convoluted, intricate business plan they simply missed eating what is the breakfast staple for most New Yorkers. 'We couldn't get them here. I think there was one shop in Dublin that sold them but that was about it.'

Looking back now, Rosie says they were very naive. 'We took a big risk. If I knew then what I know now I don't think I would have pursued it. We had a few very hard years. Thankfully we've turned the corner.'

When they started off it was just the two of them and a local girl, Lisa Hilton, who, eight years later is still with them, managing production. 'I made them at home at first. I made a dozen and it took six hours. Des asked me was I intending on having more than 12 customers?' she laughs.

Although, according to Rosie he had never so much as turned on an oven in his life, from then on in, he took over the baking. 'We had no money for equipment so we used a cookie cutter and a shot glass to get the shape!'

In the beginning they threw out thousands of bagels in a bid to find the perfect recipe, a secret Rosie's not willing to share. 'We threw out skiploads, literally. They were the wrong consistency Bagels should be chewy They shouldn't be doughey There has to be malt in there somewhere,' is all she will reveal.

When Rosie thinks back to when she was heavily pregnant with her third son, working all the hours God sends, seven days a week, she doesn't know how they managed.

'Now I'm glad we did it because it's finally a success but back then I wasn't so sure.' With a staff of 18, the company has certainly taken off, but Des and Rosie still go to the bakery every day to sort out any problems behind the scenes.

As a couple they've been through a lot together with the business, but it seems to have only made them stronger. 'I don't think I could've done it if Des wasn't my partner. He's my cheerleader. He's much braver than me, an optimist. He's never going to fail, no matter what he does.'

With her mom also now living in Old Parish having also moved from New York, Rosie has well and truly put down roots there. The family bought a house in Ballinamult a few years ago which she describes as breathtaking.'

'It took a few years to get used to it but now I love it here. I find comfort in the fact that we are part of a community. It's such a lovely town.

Post 9/11 was the only time she felt homesick for New York. 'We knew people who worked downtown in that area. We phoned them to make sure they were ok. Des was very homesick. It was difficult for us because it was happening to our home and we weren't there.'

Shortly after we say goodbye, Rosie texted me to say when she got back to the bakery there was a letter waiting for her to say she'd been shortlisted for The Image Magazine Entrepreneur in Business Award. 'If they saw me today on blades they would have rescinded!'

Somehow I don't think so.

Woman's Way Feature Our Bagels

Woman's Way Magazine
By Aisling O'Toole

We all know that we eat too many artificial flavours in our day-to-day lives but it can be hard to break the habit and start seeking out products that are 100% natural - which is why we decided to do it for you.

Rosie's Broadway Bagels, which are made by native New Yorker Rosie and her Irish husband, are all handmade and completely natural. We've tried them and are giving them the big thumbs up!

Available nationwide, Rosie's Broadway Bagels are available in four varieties, poppy seed, cinnamon and raisin, the works (poppy and sesame seed, toasted garlic and red onion) and original lunchbox bagels.

Producer's Profile In Food And Wine Magazine

Food And Wine Magazine

Rosie Sheehan's first ever food was a bagel, and she's eaten her share of them since. This Irish-sounding lady grew up in New York, but ended up living in Dungarvan with husband Des, where to her dismay her supply of authentic bagels dried up. She set about to make her own, with some determination (no New York baker was willing to divulge recipes so it was a case of trial and error) but soon hit on what they thought was a winning formula, using only natural ingredients found in most kitchen cupboards, and went ahead and opened a bagel shop. They soon learnt that Dungarvan wasn't ready for a bagel shop but, still determined as ever, they looked to wholesale as an alternative. The result? The bagels are now widely available in Ireland (Superquinn sell them in their bakeries as their own-brand bagels, as well as stocking the Broadway Bagel frozen, pre-sliced range, which are also available in Tesco, Spar and other multiples). They are also being exported to London's Wholefood stores, who are attracted to the fact that the bagels are E-free (one of the Sheehan kids had eczema so this was always important). Four million bagels later, and with seven staff manning the 2,500 square foot factory, you could say they made a go of it.

Broadway Bagels Featured At Enterprise Ireland's High Potential Start-Ups

Dungarvan Observer

Broadway Bagels, established by husband and wife team Des and Rosie Sheehan, produce authentic American style bagels. They returned to Ireland from the US three years ago and established a restaurant in Dungarvan. The business was moderately successful but they found that their American style products sold very well. They decided to close the restaurant and concentrate on producing bagels.

Bagels, while part of the bread family, are produced in a very different format. Authentic bagels are made of yeasted wheat dough which is boiled in water, or steamed, before it is baked. All the bagels currently available in the retail trade are produced in bakeries using a bread baking process, which does not deliver the dense, chewy, doughy interior which is characteristic of good bagels. They contain preservatives which allow them to be sold on the ambient shelves.

Broadway sells its product frozen, in multiple packs of four or six bagels. The bagels do not contain preservatives and this distinguishing message is clearly spelled out on the pack.

Main customers include Tesco Ireland, Superquin, Musgrave SVC, Dunnes Stores and a number of catering companies.

Very recently the company expanded both its range of bagels and into allied products ­ American brownies.

The business plan for the next two years is primarily aimed at establishing the company's position in the Irish market and developing a small sales base in Northern Ireland and Britain.

Photo Caption: Dungarvan Company 'Broadway Bagels' as featured at Enterprise Ireland's High Potential Start-Ups 'Class of 2006' showcase in Dublin recently. (l-r) are Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Employment Micheál Martin, T.D. and Rosie Sheehan, Broadway Bagels.

Bagels Bring Taste Of Broadway To Ireland

Sunday Business Post

Launching an indigenous bagel brand in Ireland is akin to launching a soda bread brand in New York. But Dungarvan-based Broadway Bagels has pulled it off. Mind you, given one of its founding partners is a native New Yorker and bagels are her favourite food, maybe it's not so surprising!

Husband and wife team, Des and Rosie Sheehan started the Broadway Bagel company in 2002. Their aim was to bring a range of authentic New York-style bagels, without preservatives, additives or cholesterol, to an emerging market of discerning food lovers.

Broadway Bagels are made to an authentic, secret New York formula, using only the freshest ingredients sourced in Ireland. They are dairy-free and have less than 2 per cent fat.

Rosie Sheehan said: "We're constantly striving to offer our customers new ways to enjoy our bagels. Due to overwhelming demand, we are now introducing two new varieties, namely, Cinnamon & Raisin and Lunchbox bagels."

Lunchbox bagels are a handy, smaller-sized version that come packed six to a bag.

"They are unseeded, providing the perfect base for favourite sandwich fillings to fit today's 'on-the-go' lifestyle. And, they are just the right size for children's lunchboxes. And as with our existing frozen retail offerings, Poppy and the Works bagels, these bagels are pre-sliced, low-fat and low-salt, and because they don't contain anything artificial, we freeze them, to keep them pure," she said. Broadway Bagels achieved Kosher certification this summer, which marked another milestone, as did the deal struck with Superquinn whereby Broadway Bagels supplies Superquinn bakeries with an American Brownie Mix that's baked in-store.

Another major development sees Broadway Bagels exporting its entire range to Whole Foods in London, the world's leading natural and organic foods supermarket.

The company has experienced solid growth and awareness since its launch four years ago and Rosie and Des Sheehan are very grateful to Waterford County Enterprise Board (WCEB) for the assistance provided to them.

"When we became involved with the WCEB, we were financially very stretched. We had put our life savings into the business, and needed funding to purchase machinery and for training," said Rosie.

"If we didn't receive the funding, we probably would have gone bust, because our contact at the bank at the time had little faith in a bagel company.

"In fact she had never heard of a bagel before! However, Anike Tyrrell at WCEB was a big fan of our bagels and from the start, she was on our side.

"Ger Enright at the WCEB visited our premises and he too could see the potential.

"They helped us with capital to buy machinery, because at the time, Des was forming the bagels using a cookie cutter, with a shot glass to form the hole!

"On the marketing front, we had a bit of a battle because we were creating a new category in supermarket freezers, as shoppers normally look for bagels in the bread section.

"WCEB stepped in once again by funding a marketing consultant, Tessa O'Connell from Brand-Edge, who taught us a lot about PR and marketing.

"Before we met Tessa we had never even heard of a focus group," said Rosie.

"WCEB also assisted us by providing someone to teach us what we needed to know about basic accounting and bookkeeping.

"This has allowed us keep a better handle on our finances.

"WCEB have helped us tremendously.

"We have come quite far, in short space of time and a lot of our success is thanks to the assistance received from the WCEB."

New York's Finest: Our Bagels Featured In British Baker Magazine

British Baker Magazine

After moving to Ireland from New York, the Sheehans missed the taste of a good bagel so much that they started baking them themselves, reports Hugh Oram

When Des and Rosie Sheehan set up the Broadway Bagel company in Dungarvan, Co Waterford in Ireland, they had little or no baking experience - merely a passion for a product they missed. The couple, who had been living in New York, moved to Dungarvan six years ago, with little idea of what they were going to do. For Dublin-born Des and New Yorker Rosie, it was a case of 'reverse immigration'.

Rosie had seen several members of her family move to the country over the years. Her father and brother live in Dublin and her sister also married an Irishman. When her mother and grandmother also moved to Ireland, it seemed logical for Rosie and Des to follow suit, but they still had not decided what career to pursue.

A Taste Of Home
An idea did not take long to present itself when the couple found they could not get the one staple of their diet they missed the most - the authentic New York bagel.

"Neither Des nor I have a background in baking. In fact, I don't think Des knew how to turn on an oven' says Rosie. "And I had just baked for pleasure - cookies and brownies for the family."

Des had previously run a construction company in New York, while Rosie had worked for the Transport Workers' Union. But in Ireland, bagels seemed like a sure-fire winner, what with the shift towards healthy eating and convenience foods. So they decided to take on the challenge.

To begin with, Rosie made a batch at home. While they tasted pretty good, she says, it took four hours to make just a dozen. Undeterred, however, the couple opened a bagel shop in Dungarvan in 2001, but closed it a year later when they realised that, given the location, they were ahead of their time.

"At that stage, it was sink or swim," says Rosie, "so we concentrated on the foodservice market, bringing samples to coffee shops and sandwich bars."

Multiple Success
Broadway Bagels are now listed with all the major retail multiples in Ireland and the couple distribute to foodservice outlets, such as cafes and coffee bars. There is a network of national distributors for foodservice and retail symbol groups, while, for multiple retail outlets, the products go straight to central distribution. They have recently appointed a distributor for the London area, who will soon start supplying a number of high-profile shops in and around the British capital.

As part of their steep learning curve the Sheehans readily admit they have had help from a number of sources along the way. The couple are signed up to the First Sales Programme run by Enterprise Ireland, the government agency for encouraging home-grown businesses. Run in conjunction with retail grocery player Musgraves, the programme is designed to support high-potential food businesses in winning retail listings. With no background in the food business, the Sheehans acknowledge that approaching the retail sector was intimidating. "It helps to have a programme like First Sales to prepare us for dealing with buyers and train us to support listings," says Rosie.

The recent Bord Bia buyers event in Dublin, which introduced food producers to buyers, was also very successful for the firm. "We've done a few trade shows, but the Bord Bia event was by far the most beneficial," says Rosie. "Most trade shows are a bit frenzied, like an after-Christmas sale at Bloomingdale's! But the Bord Bia event, in the gorgeous setting of the Royal Hospital in Kilmainham, Dublin, meant meetings could be pre-scheduled with buyers and allowed suppliers to give tailor-made presentations. As each meeting was 20 minutes, you had time to shoot the breeze."

Broadway Bagels' product development work is done in-house, but again, the Sheehans had plenty to learn. Rosie says the first time they heard of focus groups was from Tessa O'Connell, a marketing consultant with Brand Edge Marketing in Dublin. "We showed her our package designs and she asked us about feedback from market research and focus groups, which were new to us. Tessa said: 'Guys, wake up and smell the coffee.' So we took her advice, did the focus groups and the tastings, and the packaging changed significantly as a result."

The company has also invested in HACCP accreditation for its bakery and it is working on British Retail Consortium accreditation.

In terms of marketing the products, Rosie says that the firm's greatest marketing tool is product quality and a reflection of New York authenticity. But word of mouth is equally important, supported by the promotional activities of the various multiples. Broadway Bagels also has a well-developed website.

Family Time
The biggest obstacle to growth is a lack of time. "We are multi-taskers, but there is only so much that can be accomplished in a day. Maybe cloning isn't such a bad thing!" she says. "Des and I have three little boys, aged three, five and seven, so we cannot work all hours. We need time to devote to our family."

Ireland now has 60-70 bagel shops, but the Sheehans have never returned to retailing. Instead, their l0,000sq ft bakery churns out the bagels for their retail and catering customers. While the bakery is equipped with traditional bagel machinery, sourced in Ireland and Belgium, the Sheehans have re-engineered these to suit their needs. And, after just six years in the hot seat, they're already taking the first steps towards building a new plant.

Broadway Bagels Featured In Checkout Magazine

Checkout Magazine

Broadway Bagels is an award-winning family-owned bakery in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, producing authentic New York style bagels to the foodservice and retail sectors. In 2005, Broadway Bagels launched two retail offerings, 'Poppy' and 'The Works'. These 500g retail packs are pre-sliced, fully baked and frozen and go straight from freezer to toaster and are four to a pack. Broadway Bagels are healthy (nothing artificial added), convenient and trendy. They are low in fat, dairy-free and have no cholesterol. Due to overwhelming demand, Broadway Bagels will soon launch two new varieties 'Cinnamon and Raisin' (four-pack) and 'The Lunchbox Bagel' (six-pack).

Contact: Rosie Sheehan Tel: 1850 BAGELS (1850 224357)

Broadway Bagels Rise To The Superstore Challenge

The Sunday Times

The transition from artisan producer to supplying big chains takes a lot of planning.

Global brands such as Nestlé and Kellogg's may dominate supermarket shelves, but there's still space for new, innovative food companies to push through - if they know how to go about it.

Waterford based Broadway Bagels succeeded by creating a new food item in the form of sliced, frozen bagels.

The company was set up in 2002 when New Yorker Rosie Sheehan and Des, her Irish husband, spotted a gap in the market for Irish bagels.

Initially they set up a bagel bar in Dungarvan but "it was ahead of its time", according to Rosie. When it failed, the duo began supplying cafes and canteens around the country.

When members of the public started asking where they could buy the bagels, the couple knew they had found a market and set about building a brand.

Today Broadway Bagels operates out of a 5,000sq ft unit, employs eight people and makes 10,000 bagels a day, many sold through Tesco, Superquinn and Centra. Right now the company is gearing up for export to Britain and beyond.

"Before setting up in business, I had been working in an office in Manhattan and my husband was in construction, so we had no idea what to expect when it came to trying to get a supermarket listing," said Sheehan.

"We weren't negotiators. We weren't business people. We simply spotted a gap in the market and had absolute confidence in our product."

Their ignorance did them no harm. "We were also in a position where failure simply wasn't an option," she said. "We put all our money into the business."

The decision to ramp up from speciality producer to supermarket supplier is not to be taken lightly, said John Hickey of Hickey & Associates, which helps food businesses make the transition.

"Just 10 years ago the artisan producer would have evolved from supplying small local stores to multinational retailers through a natural process, their systems and capacity expanding gradually to match," said Hickey.

"That is no longer the case. Now the entrepreneur pretty much has to decide at the point of entry which route he or she is going to go."

It is, however, a good time to be an artisan producer looking for a supermarket listing.

Broadway Bagels Impressive Debut At Food & Drink Exhibition

Waterford News

Broadway Bagels was among the companies acclaimed in the Product of the Show awards at Ireland's new retail, food and drink event, Shop 2006, which took place in the RDS.

The show's coveted 'Product of the Show Awards' recognised the innovation and enterprise inherent in the food and retail industry.

Over 100 products were entered by companies for an award and the judges selected winners across seven categories, covering everything from best food, beverage, meat, confectionery to best retail technology.

Waterford-based company, Broadway Bagels, were highly commended in the Best Irish Food / Beverage Product category.

The company won the prize for 'The Works Bagel' and also launched two new products at the show; the Plain Lunchbox bagels and Cinnamon & Raisin bagels.

The judging panel, chaired by John McGrath of Dawn Farm Foods, included Teresa Brophy, Bord Bia, John O'Brien, Consultant, Miriam Atkins, Irish Food Magazine and Dermot McConnell, Musgrave Food Services.

Shop 2006 is Ireland's only international food and drink event. It hosted over 250 national and international exhibitors showcasing everything from, gluten free meals and exotic meats to organic spices and luxury handmade chocolates and from handmade gourmet pork products and farmhouse cheese to fresh fruit smoothies and vodka and berry liqueurs.

Over 5,000 national buyers attended the event, representing Multiples, Independent Retailers, Symbol Group, Wholesalers, Fore-court & Retail Shops, Convenience Stores, Bakeries, Butchers, Newsagents, Cash n' Carry, Off Licenses and Delis.

All visitors to the show had the opportunity to see the Product of the Show entries and winner's list, including Broadway Bagels of Waterford.

Broadway Bagels From Dungarvan

Business Waterford
By Justine O'Mahony

2006 heralds a bright future for Dungarvan based company, Broadway Bagels, which was set up by Des and Rosie Sheehan in 2001. Des is originally from Raheny and had previously worked in the construction industry in New York while Rosie, a native New Yorker, was an insurance claims processor. "We moved back in 2000 because we wanted to bring up our children here and we noticed a gap in the market for authentic bagels. Nobody was making them here. We reckoned it would be a great business to get into, lots of potential and if we didn't do it, someone else would," explains Rosie.

They spent months trying to perfect the recipe for their bagels. "In New York a bagel recipe is almost sacred. Nobody will tell you what it is. It's a very scientific process and we threw out bins of bagels before we come up with the formula we have now." They set up a bagel shop in a small mews in Dungarvan and subsequently started bringing the bagels around to various cafes and restaurants in Dublin. A year later they closed the bagel shop and decided to concentrate on wholesale. 'Something had to give. We were working flat out; I was pregnant with our third child and the shop just didn't take off. I think we were ahead of ourselves. I don't think Dungarvan was ready for it," maintains Rosie.

The Sheehan's were able to secure a distributorship for their wholesale business and from there the business finally took off. "All of our bagels are frozen, so we had to link up with a frozen foods distributor. The only problem was if you work through a distributor in the food sector you're taking away the brand identity." By summer 2003, the Sheehan's had people ringing them asking them where could they buy their bagels and so they decided to explore selling directly to the retail sector. Nearly three years later and their bagels are now being carried by most of the major supermarket chains throughout the country. "It's been a hard slog. We've had a couple of rough years where I had doubts about the business succeeding but Des never did. I've learnt that a lot of what the business is about is networking."

In 2004 Broadway Bagels moved to new premises on an industrial estate in Dungarvan and now employ seven people. "It started off with just Des, myself and a girl called Lisa Hilton and now there's seven of us. We're hoping to expand the range so there's a possibility of needing more staff," says Rosie. The company has also had interest from two other countries keen to import their bagels. "This is great but at the moment we want to concentrate on Ireland, to make sure the Irish market is being well served." 2006 looks good for Broadway Bagels. They've been nominated and shortlisted for two Business of the Year awards run by the Small Firms Association. "Things are going really well at the moment; we couldn't be happier."

Deli Style Bagels Featured In Food And Wine Magazine

Food And Wine Magazine

Husband and wife team Des and Rosie Sheehan from Dungarvan, County Waterford have launched their Broadway Bagel range which is currently on sale in the freezer departments of Tesco, Superquinn and Spar. Rosie is a native New Yorker and says the new bagel range is driven by the Irish consumer's desire for that real New York bagel experience. Broadway Bagel currently offers a poppy seed version and one that goes by the name of 'The Works made with poppy and sesame seeds, toasted garlic and red onion