Ballykilcavan brewery and visitor centre is based on the family farm of David and Lisa Walsh-Kemmis, just outside Stradbally.
The farm has been in their family for 13 generations since 1639, and all Ballykilcavan beers are made with barley and water sourced from the farm.
The brewery was set up in 2018, and David engaged early and often with his Local Enterprise Office, taking part in multiple training programs as well as receiving funding through a business expansion grant, an innovation investment grant and a TAME export grant.
“The Local Enterprise Office in Laois has been a huge help to us in starting up and improving our business,” he said.
“We went on a course called Start Your Own Food Business before the brewery was even set up, and that training is still relevant now.
“We’ve been on free or heavily subsidised courses on HACCP, sustainability, exporting and social media, and they’ve all made huge positive differences to the company”.
Ballykilcavan was named best artisan food producer in Laois at the 2023 Blas na hÉireann awards as well as winning gold for their Blackwell Irish Stout.
They have also won two gold medals and multiple silver medals at the Lyon International Beer Festival. “Export is a big part of our business now,” said David, “and LEO Laois have helped us to achieve that from the very start with advice, mentoring and financial support through the TAME export grant.”
The company has also won six national sustainability awards over the last two years, and is one of only two breweries in the country to achieve the highest Gold status in Bord Bia’s national Origin Green sustainability program in 2023.
“At least three of those awards stem from the work that we got done under the Local Enterprise Office’s Green for Micro program back in 2021,” said David.
“Sustainability was always high on our agenda, but getting the financial support from the LEO to be able to get really detailed auditing and mentoring made all the difference.”
“The people in LEO Laois are fantastic – always encouraging and ready to help out. We’re still working with them on sustainability measures and on really valuable support to increase our export sales, and it’s no exaggeration to say we wouldn’t be where we are without them.”
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