Woodcock Smokery
Honouring craft, culture and the future of wild fish
The Brief
To support the continued evolution of Woodcock Smokery – one of Ireland's most respected food producers – ensuring its story, craft and contribution continue to be understood, valued and carried forward within a modern food, cultural and tourism context.
The challenge was not to redefine the business, but to build carefully on what already exists – protecting its integrity while opening it up to new audiences, partnerships and opportunities.
The Approach
The work began with listening – understanding a depth of knowledge, experience and intuition built over more than four decades of smoking wild fish.
Working closely with Sally Barnes, the focus was on revealing rather than reinventing – allowing the story, process and place to come forward more clearly.
From this foundation, the work expanded across brand positioning, communications, visitor experience, partnerships and cultural programming, helping connect the smokery's heritage with contemporary conversations around food, sustainability, culture and place.
This included:
strengthening the brand and clarifying its position within a modern food and cultural landscape
developing a new website and digital presence
creating merchandise that reflects place, process and identity
establishing new partnerships and international connections
shaping events, workshops and programming through The Keep as a space for learning, storytelling and exchange
The approach remained considered and responsive – ensuring each step added clarity and depth rather than noise.
The Outcome
Woodcock Smokery continues to evolve as a living example of Irish food heritage – rooted in place, shaped by experience and deeply connected to the natural world.
The work has helped:
strengthen how the story of wild fish and traditional smoking is communicated and understood
connect new audiences with the cultural importance of wild fish and coastal food traditions
establish The Keep as a space for learning, storytelling and cultural exchange
expand the reach of the smokery through national and international collaborations
create meaningful experiences that connect people to craft, place and seasonality
More importantly, the project demonstrates how heritage businesses can continue to evolve without losing the qualities that make them unique – strengthening what exists while allowing it to move forward with clarity and purpose.
Check out the full project at woodcocksmokery.com
Areas of Work
Brand positioning and narrative development
Digital strategy and website development
Product and merchandise design
Experience and cultural programming
Partnership development and international engagement
Storytelling through food, place and craft
Ongoing Work
The collaboration continues through a series of events, workshops, partnerships and storytelling initiatives centred around The Keep.
Current projects include the creation of popups and events, and the development of new products using fish waste.
The work remains focused on ensuring that the knowledge, traditions and values at the heart of Woodcock Smokery continue to inform future generations.
In Collaboration With
Delivered in collaboration with a small, trusted team, including:
Lisa Gildea, designer
Joleen Cronin, photographer
Alongside a wider network of chefs, producers, writers and cultural collaborators engaged through The Keep.
Media and Industry Coverage
You Magazine
Irish Examiner
National Geographic
Adventure.com
Irish Times
RTE
and more