The Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards for the Munster Area were held in the The Maryborough Hotel in Cork on Wednesday 10th April. Pride of place goes to Quigleys Bakery of Nenagh who won the "Best Established SME Award" and they will now represent the province at the National Finals in May where they will also compete for the overall Ulster Bank Business Achiever Award. The Quigley family bakery has been in operation since 1890 and has been passed down from generation to generation. Today John and his wife Margaret employ upward of 150 people and have a 25000 square foot production facility. There are seventeen Quigleys Cafés now in operation and everything served in those cafes comes direct from Quigleys own kitchens where only the freshest and best ingredients are used, where they care more about goodness and taste than profit margins.
The "Best Established SME Award" category is for all SMEs over three years old who have beaten the recession and over the last number of years put in place foundations for growth. It is inclusive of family run businesses that have shown a capacity to build resilient growth oriented structures. Quigleys were judged in a number of areas including Business Milestones & Achievements, Strategy, Financial Performance, Development of Innovative Products & Services, Importance of the Business to the Local Area and the Leadership and Innovation of the Entrepreneur.
At the award ceremony Margaret O'Connor of Quigleys Bakery spoke of the dedicated teamwork of her staff "Our success today is testament to the hard work and dedication of everyone at Quigleys." She said she was delighted to accept the award on behalf of Quigleys who are now looking forward to the national finals in May.
We all join in congratulating Quigleys Bakery and we wish them the very best of luck in the finals in May.