Aisling Rogerson recently posted a video on Instagram about pausing activities at The Fumbally this month in order to think and strategise about where to next for the Dublin 8 venture she founded with Luca d’Alfonso twelve years ago.
Reflecting on ‘the never-ending challenges involved in feeding people’, Aisling said, “It’s always been hard to do this café thing, but it feels particularly hard right now. And we’re not alone. Pretty much every small food business in Ireland is trying to figure out how to make it work at the moment.”
Noting the all-encompassing nature of the challenges involved, Aisling said that every area was under pressure, with multiple tipping points in the food chain ranging from the soil, to farmers, supply chains, transportation, chefs and business owners. The Fumbally has always had a strong relationship with its suppliers, which has been an important part of its ethos since the very beginning, but its founder says the difficulties facing the sector are firmly embedded from the get-go.
“At its foundation we are building it all on a dysfunctional root system. Not one farmer in Ireland isn’t reliant on subsidies to produce food, our entire system is under stress from the outset.” In addition, issues such as staff turnover and mental health in the industry, “while finally being acknowledged and recognised as a legitimate concern” remain complex issues not easily resolved. In the face of all of this, it’s a view that resonates with virtually everyone involved in the sector right now, as many wonder about how best to make things work for them.
That said, Aisling believes, “The solutions are out there and they are achievable if we set our intentions on them.” As part of the review process, they’re asking customers to give some feedback which will ultimately help set the future direction of the Fumbally, with a free coffee in exchange for time spent completing the survey.
As they pause to review all aspects of the business, The Fumbally will close from August 17th until September 3rd.
Words: Martina Murray
