Laois beer company wins All Ireland sustainable business 2024 title

A Laois small brewery has won its second Irish business award this October.

All-Ireland Gold success has come to Ballykilcavan Brewing Company at the All Ireland Sustainability Annual Awards last weekend.

They were named best small sustainable business in the country for 2024, also picking up the silver award in the agri-food category where Fior Bhia farm from Portlaoise were also shortlisted.

Held at the La Mon Hotel & Country Club in Belfast, the awards, sponsored by Climeaction, celebrate businesses and individuals who are making a lasting impact on sustainability across the island of Ireland.

The award for Best Small Business (under 9 employees) recognises exceptional commitment to meaningful changes in social or environmental initiatives. The criteria include measurable impact, innovative approaches, community engagement, and integration of sustainability into core business practices.

The judges were hugely impressed with Ballykilcavan’s overall approach to sustainability which has seen them recognised as Gold members of Bord Bia’s national Origin Green sustainability programme for the last three consecutive years.

Ballykilcavan also won an award for their innovation at the recent Georgina Campbell Irish Food & Hospitality Awards.

The company has made significant savings on energy and water use, removed single use plastics, installed biodiversity features around the brewery and sponsored local teams and events. Having added a second solar panel array, the brewery is now generating more energy than it uses over the course of the year.

Accepting the prize was Ballykilcavan co-owner David Walsh-Kemmis.

“We are absolutely thrilled to win this really prestigious award. I’d really like to thank Joe and Niall at the farm and in the brewery who are hugely supportive of all our sustainability measures and it’s great to see their efforts rewarded. We are only a small company, but I’d like to think that we are making a big difference,” he said.