National Enterprise Awards 2019

Global skincare company from Kildare wins National Enterprise Award

Minister Pat Breen announces winning companies from Kildare, Kilkenny, Galway and Cavan

A global skincare company that was founded in Kildare, Pestle & Mortar, has won the top prize at this year’s National Enterprise Awards, organised by the Local Enterprise Offices to celebrate Ireland’s best small businesses.

Pat Breen T.D., Minister for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, made the announcement in front of 230 guests in the Mansion House in Dublin this week.

The Newbridge-headquartered company, launched by Sonia Deasy in 2014, is now a global skincare brand and stocks its products in thirteen countries including the US, the UK, Australia, Bermuda and Thailand. Inspired by Deasy’s sixth-generation Indian heritage in natural healing, Pestle & Mortar is the first skincare company to win the overall title in the competition’s 21 year history and is backed by Local Enterprise Office Kildare and Enterprise Ireland.

An ice-cream manufacturer, Ice Cream Treats, won the ‘Innovation’ award this year. Supported by Local Enterprise Office Cavan, the company was set-up in 2013 by Gerry Sheridan and its MOO’D Ice Cream parlours are in 200 SuperValu and Centra stores across the country. The company also makes the Yomega3 brand of frozen yogurt, which it exports to Dubai and Singapore.

Meanwhile, the ‘Best Export Business’ award went to Kilkenny-based Mechanical Modular Solutions, which was set up by Michael McGuire in 2017. It designs and manufactures pre-engineered and pre-fabricated modular solutions for large-scale projects such as data centres, retail outlets and office developments. Backed by Local Enterprise Office Kilkenny, the company has offices in Manchester and the Netherlands with plans to expand into Switzerland.

Clean Cut Meals, which makes and delivers portion-controlled healthy meals, won the ‘Best Start-Up Business’ award. Supported by Local Enterprise Office Galway, the Clarinbridge company was set-up in 2015 by two friends, Conor McCallion and Michéal Dyer and is planning to enter the US market in 2020 having delivered over 750,000 meals nationwide to date.

Presenting the awards on stage, Minister Pat Breen said: “I want to pay tribute to all the winners and finalists in this year’s National Enterprise Awards. Their drive, determination and passion for building successful businesses and creating local jobs is what this competition is all about. This year’s winners, like all those in previous years, represent the backbone of Ireland’s enterprise success and contribute hugely to the economic vibrancy of their respective regions. All this year’s finalists and winners have been supported by my Department through the Local Enterprise Office network. The Government, through the Local Enterprise Offices, will continue to play its part in helping to prepare small business for the challenges and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Oisin Geoghegan, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices said: “Pestle & Mortar have created a global skincare brand here in Ireland and they have ambitious plans to develop new products and win more customers in Asia and Australia in particular. By embracing innovation, they have become a small business success story with the help of their Local Enterprise Office in Kildare and are very deserving winners of this year’s National Enterprise Award.”

NEA Winners 2019

Winners share a €40,000 investment fund and eight regional awards were also presented by Minister Breen. These were won by:

  • • Gym + Coffee in the Dublin Region (backed by LEO Dublin City)
  • • ABS Engineering Control Systems Ltd in the South West Region (backed by LEO Limerick)
  • • Dotser Ltd in the Mid East Region (backed by LEO Offaly)
  • • VirtualVet in the South Region (backed by LEO Waterford)
  • • Harte Outdoor Lighting in the South East Region (backed by LEO Wexford)
  • • MMG Welding in the North West Region (backed by LEO Donegal)
  • • Rivval Ltd in the North East Region (backed by LEO Monaghan)
  • • Skillko Ltd in the West Region (backed by LEO Mayo).

This is the second year in-a-row that the top title has been clinched by a Kildare company, with Terra NutriTech of Athy winning the top prize last year. Previous winners of the National Enterprise Awards have included Irish Yogurts (in 1998), Obelisk (in 2000), Digiweb (in 2004) and DesignPro (in 2013).
Funded through Enterprise Ireland, Local Enterprise Offices in local authorities were established by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in 2014 as the ‘first-stop-shop’ for anyone wanting to start or grow a small business. Over the last five years, LEOs have helped companies create 18,640 new jobs (net) and have provided €81.5 million in direct financial assistance to over 5,000 business projects. LEOs have also organised over 40,000 business mentoring appointments and provided enterprise training for 144,830 participants since 201.

Winners at National Enterprise Awards 2019, organised by Local Enterprise Offices


• Overall Winner, National Enterprise Awards 2019 (Cash Prize for business: €10,000)


WINNER: Pestle & Mortar, backed by LEO Kildare


Kildare – Pestle & Mortar

Pestle & Mortar is a family-owned company founded by Sonia Deasy in 2014. It is now a global skincare brand combining natural healing philosophies with science to produce products which are beautifully simple, effective and easy-to-use. Sold across 3 continents, all 8 of the existing ranges are recipients of numerous awards worldwide.

• Innovation Award (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)


WINNER: Ice Cream Treats, backed by LEO Cavan


Cavan – Ice Cream Treats


Ice Cream Treats is a producer of award- winning premium quality ice cream and frozen yogurts. All of their products are hand filled using Irish dairy milk and cream. Ice Cream Treats produce product for retail and have begun exporting to Dubai and Singapore.

• Best Export Business (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)

WINNER: Mechanical Modular Solutions, backed by LEO Kilkenny


Kilkenny – Mechanical Modular Solutions (MMS)


MMS design, manufacture, integrate and deliver pre-engineered and pre-fabricated modular solutions for large-scale construction projects including data centres, schools, colleges, hotels, leisure centres, retail outlets and office developments. Operating from a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and with accredited in-house expertise, MMS can deliver modules for large-scale projects worldwide.

• Best Start Up Business (Cash Prize for business: €5,000)


WINNER Clean Cut Meals, backed by LEO Galway

Galway – Clean Cut Meals


Clean Cut Meals offer healthy, ready-made meal plans delivered direct. All meals are handmade by the team based in Clarinbridge, Co. Galway. The company focus on sales directly to the customer but are also looking at branching into multiple retail stores across Ireland in late 2019. Established in 2015 by two Galway friends, the company has grown from strength to strength and are looking to enter the US market in 2020.

  • Regional Awards (Cash Prize for business: €2,000)
  • Gym + Coffee in the Dublin Region (backed by LEO Dublin City)
  • ABS Engineering Control Systems Ltd in the South West Region (backed by LEO Limerick)
  • Dotser Ltd in the Mid East Region (backed by LEO Offaly)
  • VirtualVet in the South Region (backed by LEO Waterford)
  • Harte Outdoor Lighting in the South East Region (backed by LEO Wexford)
  • MMG Welding in the North West Region (backed by LEO Donegal)
  • Rivval Ltd in the North East Region (backed by LEO Monaghan)
  • Skillko Ltd in the West Region (backed by LEO Mayo).