Following the launch of the ‘Start Your Story’ campaign earlier this year, The English Market has welcomed two new traders to the iconic Cork food market. The new stall-holders, Cork Rooftop Farm and The Pie Guys have both begun operating in the market in recent weeks. 

The English Market and Cork City Council launched a campaign earlier this year to help find the next new traders at Cork’s English Market. The new campaign titled “Start Your Story”, presented a unique opportunity for food entrepreneurs to join a historic community of traders and start a new business at the world-renowned market.

Cork Rooftop Farm

Cork Rooftop Farm was set up during the pandemic, bringing the first urban rooftop garden to Cork city. The farm, which Brian McCarthy owns and runs, supplies fresh produce to local restaurants and has now expanded to the English Market in hopes to grow and develop horticulture and vegetable farming in Cork and in Ireland. The new market stall sells a range of fresh produce from the farm, including chemical-free locally grown fruit and vegetables, and a beautiful selection of houseplants.

The Pie Guys

Jamie Kelly and Tim O’Kennedy, better known as The Pie Guys, have opened in the English Market, serving a range of delicious pastries and pies, including their much loved ‘all-butter pastry’ and tasty selection of homemade pies – choose from Beef and Beamish, The Cheesy Kiwi, or Butter Chicken, to Sweet Potato Mushroom and Smoked Cheese or Creamy Chicken Tarragon. There are also some new breakfast treats on the English Market menu, including a range of delicious ‘Corkish’ pastries.

Brendan Walsh, Property Manager at the English Market added, “We are delighted to welcome two innovative new traders, Cork Rooftop Farm and The Pie Guys, to the world-renowned English Market. We launched our Start Your Story campaign to find new stall-holders, that would complement the market’s long-standing reputation and commitment to quality and to build on the local food culture that is in the market. These two exceptional new food businesses are a perfect match and enhance the experience for customers. Ventures like this help to strengthen Cork’s position as the food capital of Ireland.”

The English Market is always open to applications and expressions of interest from innovative, artisan, and high-quality food producers and providers nationwide when vacancies arise in the much-loved Cork food hub. Full details, terms and conditions, and application forms can be found by visiting the English Market website www.corkcity.ie/en/english-market/start-your-story/. 

The English Market is open 8am-6pm, Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays & Bank Holidays). For more information and to keep up to date with the latest news, visit The English Market social media pages on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.