Kildare food firm wins Regional Enterprise Award
Jacqui McNabb, Kildare LEO's head of enterprise and economic development, Fiona and Rosemary of Fused by Fiona, and Claire Dunleavy, senior enterprise development officer Photo: Conor McCabe Photography
A KILDARE firm has emerged as the Regional winner at this year’s National Enterprise Awards which celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Round Room in the Mansion House, Dublin.
The Naas-based company ‘Fused by Fiona Uyema' offers a range of Asian sauces and seasonings that incorporates top class ingredients for a healthy twist.
Fused took home the Mid-East Regional Award, a share of the €50,000 investment fund, and is supported by Kildare County Council’s Local Enterprise Office (LEO).
Co-founders Fiona and Gilmar Uyema bring a wealth of experience and expertise in the food industry, along with a special grá for Japanese food.
Their combined vision to raise the standards of Asian ingredients on food shelves has been key to differentiating themselves and succeeding in today’s competitive market.
“It is an honor to receive this award and recognition. Thank you to all the LEO Kildare Team for their incredible support over the last 10 years,” said Fiona.
Fused follows in the success of Kildare’s new and innovative software company DreamDEV, last year’s overall winners at the 2024 National Enterprise Awards.
Established in 2019 by Eoin Barry and Douglas Augiar, this AI company enables companies to significantly increase their product’s time to market.
The overall winner at this year’s National Enterprise Awards was SPRYT, a virtual assistant that addresses appointment challenges in the healthcare industry.
Users can quickly book, pay, and amend their appointments through SMS, while professionals can effectively reallocate appointments in real-time to eliminate no shows and doctor and consultant time wastage.
Also honoured on the night was Keoghs Farm, which won the Outstanding Achievement Award. After beginning their journey at their Local Enterprise Office, the renowned crisps and snack company serves as a reminder of the impact that accessing local initiatives can have.
Previous Kildare winners of the National Enterprise Awards include Terra NutriTech (2018) and Pestle & Mortar (2019).
The National Enterprise Awards are one of several initiatives run by the LEOs to foster entrepreneurship across the country.
Established in 2014, the LEOs are the resource for any entrepreneur looking to start a business or advice to help them grow.
