PepsiCo named Cork Company of the Year

Lauren Duggan, Co-founder, Riley, winner of emerging Cork Company of the Year, Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber, Ronan Murray, President Cork Chamber, Michael Barry, Founder, Barry & Fitzwilliam, winner SME, Cork Company of the Year, John O’Connell, Co-Founder & Director, West Cork Distillers, winner large Cork Company of the Year, Naoimh Frawley, Director of People, Operations & Governance Cork Chamber, Sinéad Scully, Head of Large Business, Vodafone Ireland and over all winner of Cork Company of the year PepsiCo Pankaj Agarwal, Vice President Supply Chain, PepsiCo, Clodagh Thompson, Communications Manager and Mary Lane, Senior Director Commercialisation, PepsiCo at the Cork Chamber Company of the Year Awards in Cork City Hall Cork.

Food and beverage giant PepsiCo was named overall Cork Company of the Year Winner at the Cork Chamber annual dinner held in City Hall last night.

The company has operated in Cork for the past five decades growing from a 30-person operation in 1974 to employing more than 1,250 people across its sites in Carrigaline and Litttle Island today.

The annual awards, held in association with Vodafone and the Irish Examiner, recognise the diversity and vibrancy of the Cork business community. Previous winners include Stryker, Carbery, Irish Distillers and Eli Lilly. At the same awards, there were four category winners. 

Deirdre Creedon, Aideen Creedon, and Aine Randles, pictured at the 2024 Cork Chamber annual dinner, held at Cork City Hall. Cork Chamber welcomed 1000 guests to the event which was sponsored by AIB.

Period-care firm Riley was named the Emerging Company of the Year. Drinks distributor Barry & Fitzwilliam was named SME of the year. West Cork Distillers was named large company of the year while PepsiCo took the international company award along with the overall title.

Mary Lane, Senior Director Commercialisation, PepsiCo said the award is a testament to their teams who make PepsiCo Ireland the powerhouse it is today. 

"Over the years, through amazing partnerships with professional institutes, universities, and our local communities, our teams have built an international business that we are very proud of. Receiving this award is a fantastic way to kick off our 50-year celebrations" she said.

Barry Forde and Stephen Lehane, Osbourne Recruitment at the annual Cork Chamber Cork Company of the year awards in Cork City Hall.

Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy said PepsiCo has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to excellence, innovation, and community impact. "Celebrating five decades of growth and innovation this year, PepsiCo Ireland is a centre of excellence in R&D, sustainability & global supply chain. Their contributions to the local business landscape have been truly commendable."

The keynote speaker was the Minister for Finance Michael McGrath who spoke of his own past growing up in Passage West and making his start in finance before moving into politics. In relation to the country's future, he said the Future Ireland Fund could reach over €100bn over the next 10 years.

"In practical terms, it means that the next time we encounter an economic shock or experience a downturn, we will have the resources to maintain a high level of public capital investment," he said.

Bo Browne, Communications and Marketing Manager and Vicky O’Connor, Events and Marketing Executive Cork Chamber at the annual Cork Chamber Cork Company of the year awards in Cork City Hall. Picture: Darragh Kane

In his address at last night's awards to more than 1,000 guests, Cork Chamber President Ronan Murray highlighted Ireland’s capacity to attract and retain substantial foreign direct investment while also fostering a supportive environment for indigenous firms to expand.

“This success is not a happy accident. It is defined by a culture of hard work, supported by insightful political decisions as shown by this Government over a number of years. Equally, it’s the level of collaboration between cities, local councils, communities, government and business, that plays a key role in why Cork is such the economic success story it is today.”

Grace Finn; Paul Mitchell and Valerie Forde, Cliste Hospitality, pictured at the 2024 Cork Chamber annual dinner, held at Cork City Hall. Cork Chamber welcomed 1000 guests to the event which was sponsored by AIB.

In what was his last address as Chamber president, Mr Murray commended progress on improving the region's transport infrastructure and also pointed to future projects including the Cork/Limerick motorway, the completion of the M28, the regeneration of the Docklands and the Morrison’s Island public realm scheme as transformative projects for Cork.