A self-styled “Irish Willy Wonka” business that boosted revenue by 815% in a single year through bold innovation and trendsetting has taken the top prize at this year’s National Enterprise Awards last night in Dublin. Sugar Plum Sweetery, based in Mullingar, was established in 2022 by Denise Buckley and David Quirke, who bring extensive experience in retail and marketing, having previously founded the Wholesome Kitchen restaurant in the town.
The couple have established an experience led sweet and chocolate destination store in Mullingar, while also operating an impressive online business for their products. Their ability to spot and adapt to trends such as the Dubai Chocolate bar and kids Labubu toys, saw them create trendsetting unique sweet treats in a matter of weeks that similar companies were taking months to turn around. Their top selling products in 2025, were created by them from scratch and did not exist in 2024.
This saw them increase their revenue from €480K in 2024 to €4.3million in 2025 and scale their team from 10 to 40 employees, supported by their Local Enterprise Office in Westmeath. Their sales success has made them the number one retailer on the TikTok Shop in Ireland. With two spectacular stores in Mullingar and Kildare Village they aim to expand across Ireland and internationally in the next 18 months and bring that Willy Wonka style experience to more consumers.
The Awards, which are an initiative of the Local Enterprise Offices to celebrate the best small businesses in Ireland, were held at the Round Room in the Mansion House in Dublin in what is their 26th year. Peter Burke,T.D., Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, announced this year’s winners in front of representatives from the Local Enterprise Offices, Enterprise Ireland, the local authorities and small businesses from across the country at the event.
Announcing the award winners at the Mansion House Minister Burke said; “The National Enterprise Awards are the highlight of the small business and enterprise calendar, with a growing diversity of businesses and an increasingly high standard among the companies progressing through the process year on year. We have some exceptional winners, but the finalists overall have been outstanding, reflecting the remarkable quality of small businesses right across the country.
Kieran Comerford, Chair of the Local Enterprise Offices, said; “Yet again this year we have seen outstanding finalists and exceptional winners for the National Enterprise Awards. They are the very best of the start-up and small business community across the country and it’s an honour for the Local Enterprise Offices to get the chance to work with them and support them. They are already showing that amazing businesses can start and grow in any part of this island and in turn they can help to support local economies and job creation.
“We have had some amazing winners here tonight, many of whom will go on to become internationally recognised companies. That shows the level that these finalists are at and the footsteps that they follow in from previous Awards. To make it to this point shows that you are one of the country’s very best and I want to congratulate all the Finalists and the winners but there is plenty more to come from all these businesses in the coming months and years.”