Kilchreest-based chocolatier Gráinne Mullins is the winner of the Best Enterprise Award in the Galway Local Enterprise Awards for 2024.
Gráinne’s business ‘Grá Chocolates’ will now represent Local Enterprise Office Galway at the National Enterprise Awards at the Round Room at the Mansion House in Dublin on the 23rd May.
Gráinne founded Grá Chocolates in her hometown of Kilchreest in 2020, and the business has gone from strength to strength. Her creations use ethically sourced Valrhona Chocolate, Casa Luker cocoa butter and Irish cream and butter – resulting in decadent, small batch treats.
Grá Chocolates will now compete against 30 other finalists from every local authority area for a share of the €35,000 winner’s prize fund as national judging gets underway in May. Categories this year include ‘Best Export Business,’ ‘Best Start-Up’ and ‘Innovation,’ along with “One to Watch” and a “Sustainability / Green” award in addition to eight regional awards.
The Galway Local Enterprise Awards took place as part of a very successful Local Enterprise Week programme of events. There were over 300 physical events took place across the country, run by the 31 Local Enterprise Offices from March 4th to 8th.
Other winners at the Galway Local Enterprise Awards were Killary Adventure Company, who won the Sustainability Award, and Heptagon Houses, who won the Best Start Up Award.
Speaking at the Galway Enterprise Awards Ceremony during Local Enterprise Week Valerie Kelly, Head of Enterprise with Local Enterprise Office Galway said: “The National EnterpriseAwards serve to highlight the very best businesses that the Local Enterprise Offices are working with across the country. LEO Galway has a portfolio of diverse and successful clients, across a range of sectors, that they have supported in many ways through mentoring, training, advisory or financial support.
“The deserved winner of the Best Enterprise Award 2024 - Gra Chocolates - have shown outstanding entrepreneurism, determination. ambition and resilience to get to where they are today, and we are looking forward to celebrating with them at the Awards”.
Local Enterprise Week is organised every year by the Local Enterprise Offices and supported by Enterprise Ireland, Local Authorities and the Government of Ireland with over 300 events taking place nationwide this year.
