Wexford-based Greenvalley Farms Ltd, otherwise known as Killowen Farm, has been named as the inaugural winner of the Local Business category at the Irish Times Business Awards.
This is the sixth year of the Awards which were held in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin and attended by the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath,TD. The purpose of the Awards, which are run in association with Bank of Ireland, is to mark excellence and outstanding achievement in Irish business.
Accepting the award, which was also sponsored by Bank of Ireland, Nicholas Dunne from Killowen Farm said that every day produces a new “phenomenal opportunity” for their business. He thanked The Irish Times, as well as Bank of Ireland. “I’m one of those people who has been with Bank of Ireland for 40 years … it’s been a fantastic relationship,” he said.
Greenvalley, which was one of four nominees for the award, is the company behind the award-winning Killowen Farm range of live yoghurts. Situated at the foot of the Blackstairs Mountains in Co Wexford, Killowen Farm has been in the Dunne family for 200 years.
Owners Nicholas and Judith Dunne took over the business about 20 years ago and moved the yoghurt production to their own dairy farm in Enniscorthy. In 2022, the business unveiled a €4 million expansion that added 25 new jobs and enabled it to grow its cream cheese production.
A breakthrough deal with Irish food group Ornua opened the door for the business to export to Europe, and Killowen now ships goods to many international markets including Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. The company has consistently achieved organic sales of about 10 per cent a year.
It was also notable night in Dublin for Kilkenny business leaders. Siobhán Talbot, who stepped down last month as group managing director of Glanbia, was chosen as the recipient of the Distinguished Leader in Business award while technology entrepreneur Terry Clune and his CluneTech group claimed the ‘Deal of the Year’ award. Barry
Barry Napier chief executive and founder of Cubic Telecom won the overall Irish Times Business Person of the Year Award.
