Following on from our partnership with the Ballymaloe Festival of Food, we’re spotlighting some of the amazing food entrepreneurs using TikTok to reach new audiences and grow their businesses. First up is Second Street Bakeshop (@secondstreet.bakeshop), a Cork-based business founded by Claire Keane.

Second Street Bakeshop creates content that blends the warmth of small-batch baking with the energy of Ireland’s digital food scene through behind-the-scenes vlogs and joyful moments at local markets. With a focus on community, creativity, and irresistible toffee brittle (made with Irish sea salt, of course!) Claire’s team at Second Street Bakeshop serves up more than just sweets – they’re sharing a story of local flavour, collaboration, and connection. Read more below!

Q: What inspired you to showcase Second Street Bakeshop’s products on TikTok?
A: Creating a TikTok account for Second Street Bakeshop had been on my to-do list for some time, but it kept getting pushed down the to-do list. With the help of Noreen and Joy—our tech-savvy team members—we finally made it happen, and haven’t looked back since. We love the quick video format for its ability to grab attention and drive fast growth. It’s helped us reach more fans, attract new customers, boost engagement, and increase our visibility.

@secondstreet.bakeshop Enjoy the nice weather in Mahon Farmer's Market and we'll see you all at the Douglas Farmer's Market on Saturday!😊 #popcorn #cork #fyp #irish #sweet #treatyourself #irishfood #irishfoodie #mahonpoint #mahonpointshoppingcentre #irishbusiness #smallbusiness #mahonpointfarmersmarket #douglasfarmersmarket ♬ Blooming Spring - Leva


Q: What’s your favourite part about being an Irish food producer in today’s digital food community?
A: One of my favourite parts is the spirit of collaboration that naturally comes with it. Food has a unique way of bringing people together, allowing us to co-create new dishes or treats using each other’s products. A great example is a recent video we made at the Ballymaloe Festival of Food, where we paired Murphy's Ice Cream (@murphysicecream) with our Sea Salt Toffee Brittle and Rívesci (@rivesci.ie) Hot Honey. It was fun, creative, and absolutely delicious!


@secondstreet.bakeshop We are in Douglas Market Cork today. 😊 #cork #sweet #irish #douglascork #treatyourself #irishfood #irishfoodie #fyp ♬ Upbeat Funk - FASSounds

Q: Which of your products has received the most surprising or enthusiastic response on TikTok?

A: Our toffee brittle products have attracted the most attention—they’re a classic American-style confection that’s not commonly found in Ireland, making them stand out as something truly unique and different.

Q: Can you share how a local ingredient or Irish food tradition has influenced your product development?

A: We use Achill Island Sea Salt (@achill.island.seasalt) in almost everything we do. Harvested from the pristine waters off Achill Island, it’s as pure and natural as salt gets—and it brings a distinctive, clean flavour to our products. When topping our Belgian chocolate, we have to work quickly and precisely to ensure the salt adheres before the chocolate fully sets. The same goes for our toffee popcorn—if the salt isn’t added before the toffee hardens, it simply won’t stick. Timing is everything, and this careful process ensures the salt’s flavour is perfectly balanced and present in every bite.


@secondstreet.bakeshop We‘re busy prepping for 2025 #ballymaloe #festivaloffood where a bounty of the best of Irish food is found. We can‘t wait to see you there. 🍀🇮🇪@Ballymaloe Grainstore #irishmade #sweettreats #cork #corkcity #irish #corkfood #corkfestival #smallbusiness #localbrand #irishproducer #irishfood #secondstreetbakeshop ♬ Chocolate (Choco Choco) - DJ Party


Q: What’s been your most popular TikTok post about Second Street Bakeshop and why do you think it resonated?
A: Our bumper food donation delivery to Cork

Penny Dinners. It was a soggy Sunday morning, Cork city was flooded, and we captured some of that atmosphere in the video. The success of the video might be down to the fact that it offered something quite different from our usual content, while still staying rooted in food and Community.
In addition, sharing content ‘from the kitchen’, ‘on the road’ or ‘behind the scenes’ brings the brand story to life in a visual, authentic way. At the same time, customers can contribute by posting unboxings, reviews, or even becoming informal brand ambassadors—further amplifying the reach and impact of the producer’s message.

Q: Which other Irish food producers or foodie creators are on your For You feed at the moment?
A: Irish food producers on our feed range from Barry’s Tea (@barrysteatok) and Ballymaloe Grainstore (@ballymaloegrainstore), to Rebel City Distillery (@rebelcitydistillery), Ogam Korean (@ogamkorean), Rívesci (@rivesci.ie) and Murphy's Ice Cream (@murphysicecream).