THE BIG READ: LEO backing businesses that are worth their salt
A LOVE of the sea, swimming, surfing and sailing, is what led Billy Hosford to launch his carbon-zero, Salt of Kinsale.
‘Surfing and sailing and generally being in the sea have always been a huge part of my life,’ said Billy. ‘So my passion for salt comes really from a love of the ocean more so than anything and the idea of recreating the flavour that you taste from your skin after being in the water was really exciting to me.’
Billy’s background is in food. His parents owned Mary Anne’s pub in Castletownshend, and he opened and ran a restaurant in the Caribbean for ten years before returning to Ireland.
‘My light bulb moment for launching Salt of Kinsale in ’24, was when I was on a surf trip in Indonesia years ago, and watching how the local fishermen would fill shells in the morning with water and by the end of the day they had just sea salt left in their shells. I loved how simple and straightforward and sustainable that process was. I’ve aimed to achieve the simplicity and of this idea in Salt of Kinsale – although it takes a little longer with the Irish weather!’
Billy lives with his family at the Old Head which is where he collects seawater when the tides are at optimum level.
‘We gently filter the water through a gravitational micron filter into our polytunnels. The prevailing wind and sun gently evaporates the water over a period of about four weeks, to leave us with our crystal sea salt. We then harvest this by hand, very gently so we don’t lose the lovely crystal shape that have formed. That really is a labour of love. We don’t use any heat processing, in fact we don’t even have electricity on our salt farm so our salt is carbon zero and a really sustainably produced,’ he said
What sets Kinsale Salt apart is that it’s carbon zero and organic.
‘We are, in fact, waiting on our organic status from The Irish Organic Association. Because of this very gentle processing system, our salt retains higher levels of minerals making it better for you. And it tastes better too – the taste on your lips after a swim is how I hope our salt tastes! The way we evaporate our saltwater also means that the salt crystals have a very specific shape, making our salt crunchier and an excellent texture for finishing dishes as well.’
He is a Local Enterprise Office (LEO) client and says that has been ‘a phenomenal help all the way through this project.’
‘They have been very helpful to this whole process. I was awarded a priming grant which helped financially and have had different mentoring sessions with them also,’ he said.
Billy, who recently turned 50, has plans to expand the business but it’s as much about giving back, as it is growing.
‘Our ethos is all about sustainability and local community so going forward we hope to contribute more to our local environment. We have already started a rewilding process on our farm, planting over 400 native trees, we have wild bees coming this summer, bat boxes and owl boxes in the pipeline, our first small wildflower meadow is starting to bloom and we aim to give back to the biodiversity of our local area since it has provided us with so much, we feel it’s the least we can do.
‘From a business perspective we aim to reach more homes, work with small local businesses, engage with chefs and cooks and we hope to export putting our Salt of Kinsale on the world map as a stand out organic, carbon zero, sustainably sourced natural hand harvested sea salt.’
Cork County Council’s LEO plays a pivotal role in supporting the growth of West Cork’s thriving artisan food sector, providing a comprehensive range of tailored supports for producers at every stage of development.
At the earliest stage, prospective food entrepreneurs can access initiatives such as the Food Starter Programme and the Digital School of Food, which provide practical guidance on product development, market research, food safety, branding and routes to market.
These programmes are designed to help turn viable food ideas into commercial products, supporting a steady pipeline of new West Cork producers entering the market each year.
As businesses develop, more targeted supports come into play. The Food Academy Programme, delivered in partnership with Bord Bia and SuperValu, offers structured training in areas such as marketing, finance and sustainability, while also providing the opportunity to trial products in retail stores and gain valuable consumer feedback. This pathway has proven particularly beneficial for West Cork producers seeking to bridge the gap between small-scale production and wider retail distribution
Alongside these sector-specific programmes, LEO Cork North & West also provides one-to-one mentoring, management training and financial supports, including feasibility, priming and business expansion grants, enabling producers to invest in equipment, develop packaging and scale production.
These supports have been instrumental for a diverse range of West Cork businesses, from artisan cheese and seafood producers to speciality preserves and baked goods. For example, several local producers have progressed from early-stage development through LEO supports to securing retail listings and growing recognised regional brands, demonstrating the strength of the support ecosystem in the region.
Speaking to The Southern Star , Cork County Mayor Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, said: ‘Cork County has a long-standing reputation for exceptional food, built on quality ingredients, creativity and a strong sense of place.
‘The role of the LEOs is to support producers at every stage of that journey – from initial concept through to retail and export. By combining practical training, mentoring and financial supports, the LEOs can help local businesses grow while retaining the authenticity that makes Cork food products so distinctive.’
Cork County Council’s LEO Cork North & West plays a strong role each year in assisting businesses, and in 2025, some €1.2m was approved in grant funding, creating 111 new jobs.
There were 1,445 participants in 129 training programmes, 1008 participants availed of free business mentoring, there were 95 Green LEAN & Digital approvals and 28 Schools with 1255 students participated in the TY Mini Company programme.
Through this combination of practical supports and strong local engagement, LEO Cork North & West continues to play a central role in ensuring that West Cork remains one of Ireland’s leading regions for artisan food innovation and entrepreneurship.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.