Sugar Plum to represent local LEO at national awards
A confectionery company from Mullingar will compete with the country’s best small businesses as one of the finalists for the National Enterprise Awards next week.
Sugar Plum Sweetery will represent Local Enterprise Office Westmeath at the event on Thursday 18 June in the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin.
Sugar Plum Sweetery, founded by husband-and-wife duo David Quirke and Denise Buckley in Mullingar, is a multi-award-winning Irish chocolatier renowned for innovative, experience-driven approach to chocolate making.
What began as a passion project has become one of Ireland’s fastest-growing chocolate brands, blending craftsmanship with creativity to produce unique, story-led confections. The company has gained national recognition for its viral ‘Dubai Chocolate Bar’, now one of the country’s most in-demand chocolate products, alongside its strong online sales and presence in premium retailers such as Brown Thomas and Avoca.
Employing a significant team, Sugar Plum Sweetery has been nominated in recognition of its rapid growth, product innovation, and success in redefining modern Irish chocolate through a digital-first, gifting-led business model.
Denise said: “We are proud to represent Westmeath at the National Enterprise Awards. What started as a small chocolate business has grown beyond anything we imagined, thanks to our amazing team, customers and the support of the Local Enterprise Office.
“We’ve grown our business by over 900% in the past 18 months and we have major expansion plans here in Ireland and abroad. With two more Sugar Plum stores opening in the next few months, we’re on target to be one of Ireland’s most recognised brands. We’re passionate about creating innovative and handmade products in Mullingar, showcasing what Irish manufacturing and entrepreneurship can achieve.”
Peter Burke, TD, Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, said at the announcement: “The National Enterprise Awards provide us with an opportunity to celebrate the best of Irish entrepreneurship. Looking through the list of finalists for this year, you can see a significant variety of sectors and business ideas, from health and beauty to agtech, from software to food and drink.
“Every one of these finalists have the potential to scale, create jobs in their communities and make a significant impact internationally. These awards shine a light on the amazing businesses that are starting and growing across the country year on year, and we should be extremely proud of the level of founders that Ireland is producing. The previous winners and indeed finalists have shown the calibre of these awards, and it’s exciting to see where these businesses can and will go in the future.”
Christine Charlton, head of enterprise at LEO Westmeath, said: “The National Enterprise Awards serve to highlight the best businesses that the LEOs are working with across the country.
"The diversity of sectors and innovation shown again this year is outstanding and the winners will no doubt produce businesses destined for international success. These businesses have excelled in their areas and have the potential to follow in the footsteps of previous winners to become successful global companies.”
This is the 26th year of the Local Enterprise Office initiative, which was won last year by health tech business, SPRYT, supported by LEO Monaghan. Set up in 2022 by Neill Dunwoody and Daragh Donohue, its AI-powered virtual receptionist is helping to revolutionise patient engagement for healthcare providers across the globe utilising WhatsApp and SMS communication.