Beyond the Classroom: MSc Food Business & Innovation, Michael Brosnan

9 Jul 2026

Michael Brosnan is a MSc in Food Business and Innovation student who is currently with Velo Coffee Roasters as a Business Development Intern.

"Studying the MSc in Food Business and Innovation at Cork University Business School has been an incredibly rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. From day one, the programme pushed me to think differently about the food and drink industry, combining academic theory with real commercial thinking in a way I genuinely did not expect at postgraduate level. 

My placement with Velo Coffee Roasters has been a fantastic opportunity to put that learning into practice. Velo is a speciality coffee roastery based in Cork, and working within the business has given me exposure to everything from route-to-market strategy and B2B sales to brand development and direct consumer engagement. Every day brings something different, and I have loved the pace and variety of it. 

The highlight of my placement so far has been attending Bord Bia Bloom, Ireland's premier food, garden, and lifestyle festival, held over the June bank holiday weekend at the Phoenix Park in Dublin. I spent five days there representing Velo Coffee Roasters, and it was one of the most energising and eye-opening experiences of my time on the programme. 

Bloom is an incredible event. The sheer scale of it, the quality of producers in attendance, and the enthusiasm of the public all made for an atmosphere unlike anything I had experienced before. One of the things I valued most was getting to meet and spend time with so many local Irish businesses and their teams. Chatting with other producers, hearing their stories, and seeing the passion behind each brand gave me a real appreciation for the depth and diversity of Irish food and drink culture. It was a reminder that behind every product on a shelf, there is a team of people who care deeply about what they do. 

Being on the Velo stand, talking directly with customers about specialty coffee, explaining our roasting process, and seeing people genuinely engage with the product was brilliant. It brought to life so much of what we had covered in modules like ‘International Strategic Food Marketing,’ ‘International Food Branding and Digital Media Marketing, ’ and ‘Consumer Culture and Consumer-Brand Relationships,’ because you are seeing those principles play out in real time, right in front of you. 

One moment that really stood out was getting to meet Taoiseach Micheál Martin during the festival. It was a brilliant experience and a reminder of just how important an event like Bloom is for showcasing Irish food culture and the producers behind it. 

Five days at Bloom were hard work, but I came away from it with a much deeper appreciation for what it takes to build a brand presence at a major consumer event. From logistics and setup to customer conversations and live feedback, it was the kind of hands-on learning that no classroom can fully replicate. 

I would encourage anyone considering the MSc in Food Business and Innovation to embrace every opportunity that comes with placement. The academic foundation the programme gives you is genuinely strong, but it is in moments like Bloom where everything clicks into place. I feel very lucky to be doing this, and I cannot wait to see where the rest of the year takes me."