A quacking good invention

One of the companies which represented Cork at this year’s National Enterprise Awards created an extremely clever and eco-friendly way of feeding ducks!

Founded by Matthew Knight, the Feed Ducks Initiative builds, installs, and maintains solar powered contactless duck feed dispensers.

The dispensers help to reduce foreign feed and rotting excess food that leads to silt build up in local pond ecosystems.

The now burgeoning business was created during lockdown when the highlight of Matthew’s days was time spent feeding the local ducks with his young son Oscar.

Since his first duck food dispenser was installed in 2021 the business has grown from strength to strength starting with a single dispenser in 2021 to over 80 dispensers across 60 government authorities in 2024 in the UK and Ireland.

“What started as a local community project in 2021 has become a recognised international environmental business in 2024 and we are immensely proud of how far we have come,” said Matthew.

The company also donates 10% of their proceeds back into communities to non-profit groups to fund community initiatives to improve local parks.

Matthew continued: “Our growth has been supported by the LEO South Cork who not only understand our business model but have collaborated with us through a range of supports including mentorship, funding with the business expansion grant, and reaching new export markets. These supports have made it possible to scale our business model and look positively to the future.”

Last year Cork County Council’s LEO offices in South Cork and Cork North & West approved grants totalling over €2 million to assist local businesses.

Further details about the supports available to local start-ups and small businesses are available through localenterprise.ie.