Horgans marks 50 years of food innovation
As they celebrate both their golden wedding anniversary and 50 years in the speciality food business, Michael and Maura Horgan reflect on building a family, a business and a food legacy together
Print16 June 2026
On 2 June 2026, Michael and Maura Horgan celebrated both their golden wedding anniversary and 50 years of Horgans, the Mitchelstown-based family business that has grown from a traditional butcher’s shop into one of Ireland’s leading speciality food suppliers.
The milestone marks five decades of entrepreneurial ambition, resilience and innovation, during which the family helped shape Ireland’s evolving food culture while building a business that today employs 80 people, works with more than 120 suppliers and generates annual turnover exceeding €60 million.
Built on determination
The Horgans’ journey was not without challenges.
Just days before their wedding in June 1976, Michael faced a crisis that threatened the future of the business.
Having recently completed a major extension and upgrade to the family butcher’s shop, he was informed by his bank that the business account needed to be brought back into credit immediately or risk closure.
The amount required was £3,500, a significant sum at the time.
A last-minute loan from a friend working in another financial institution enabled the couple to proceed with their honeymoon and, ultimately, continue building the business that would become Horgans.
Reflecting on the milestone, Michael Horgan said the company’s success has been built on a willingness to take calculated risks.
“There were risks, challenges and difficult moments along the way, but if we hadn’t taken those risks, we wouldn’t have the business we have today.”
The Horgan family’s roots in food retail stretch back even further.
The family’s food heritage dates to 1921, when Michael’s grandfather first opened a butcher’s shop in Mitchelstown.
Michael himself took over the business at just 16 years of age following his father’s illness and subsequent passing.
Faced with the responsibility of running the business at a young age, he quickly learned the realities of retail while developing ambitions to expand beyond traditional butchery.
Together, Michael and Maura gradually transformed the business over the following decades.
The pair regularly travelled to major food exhibitions across Europe, searching for products and ideas that had yet to reach Irish consumers.
At a time when speciality food categories were virtually unknown in Ireland, they were introducing new products, suppliers and concepts to the market.
“Most people didn’t even know what Parmigiano Reggiano was back then,” recalled Maura.
“We’d go to these huge food exhibitions in Germany and France and walk every hall looking for products we thought people in Ireland would love someday.”
Helping shape Ireland’s food culture
The company’s willingness to embrace new trends helped establish Horgans as one of the early pioneers of Ireland’s speciality food sector.
The business played a key role in introducing products such as Mascarpone and Cambozola to the Irish market, long before continental ingredients became commonplace on supermarket shelves.
The company also helped bring artisan Irish farmhouse cheeses from local producers to a national audience at a time when the sector was still in its infancy.
Those early investments in speciality foods laid the foundations for a business that now supplies more than 1,000 products to retailers, cafés, delis and foodservice customers nationwide.
Today, Horgans specialises in speciality cheeses, charcuterie, fresh pasta, deli products, premium ingredients and continental foods sourced from Ireland and across Europe.
Like many food businesses, Horgans has faced significant industry changes over the years.
One of the most challenging periods came during the late 2000s, when major retailers increasingly shifted from direct-to-store deliveries to centralised distribution systems.
The move created significant cost pressures and prompted the business to seek external support.
In 2007, Michael made the difficult decision to sell a 51% stake in the company to Italian dairy group Castelli.
The partnership proved instrumental in helping Horgans adapt to changing retailer requirements while strengthening commercial operations.
Family members were appointed to key account management roles across major retail customers, a strategy that helped position the business for future growth.
More than a decade later, when Castelli became the subject of a takeover by global dairy giant Lactalis, Michael once again took a significant risk.
Supported by his banking partners, he repurchased the 51% shareholding in 2018, returning Horgans to full Irish family ownership.
The move marked a major turning point for the business and paved the way for significant investment in warehousing, cheese-cutting facilities and operational infrastructure.
Family values remain central
While the business has evolved significantly, family remains at the heart of Horgans.
The second generation, including sons Edward and Paul alongside daughters-in-law Claire and Cora, now work across sourcing, sales, procurement, operations, HR and marketing. Their combined expertise continues to drive the company’s development while maintaining the family culture that has underpinned the business since its inception.
Maura believes that balance between business and family has been central to their success.
“We built the business side by side while raising our family,” she said.
“There were challenging times, but we had great fun along the way too.”
As consumer preferences continue to evolve, Horgans is adapting once again.
Growth in premium convenience foods, protein-rich products and Mediterranean-inspired ranges reflects changing shopper habits and demand for quality food experiences.
Despite its national reach and continued expansion, the company remains firmly rooted in Mitchelstown, where the Horgan family continues to live, work and support local community initiatives.
Fifty years after a nervous young couple faced uncertainty ahead of their wedding day, Horgans stands as one of Ireland’s most successful family-owned food businesses, a testament to entrepreneurial spirit, resilience and a passion for discovering the next great food trend.
For more information, please visit www.horgans.ie.
Read more: €2.8 million investment by Maxol sees redevelopment of Kilkenny and Mitchelstown sites
© 2026, ShelfLife by Ryan Brennan
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