A SMALL family bakery that was threatened with closure after a fire during the summer is back in business and preparing to supply Harrods of London with Christmas puddings.
The Foods of Athenry bakery company in Kiltullagh, Co Galway, run by Paul and Siobhán Lawless, caught fire in June.
The blaze gutted their manufacturing plant.
Today, the company has not only recovered – it also secured a contract with Harrods.
After rebuilding the premises and getting their produce back on the shelves, the Lawlesses are getting ready to sell their gluten-free Christmas pudding in the iconic London store.
Siobhán Lawless said she was thrilled to get the opportunity to supply such a prestigious shop.
“Following the fire we entered the gluten-free pudding in the Great Taste Awards, where it came away with a two-star grade taste.”
And that doesn’t go unnoticed, especially in Britain, she said.
“And now we have secured the deal to supply Harrods, which is amazing.”
The recovery took some time, but Paul Lawless said the family had been overwhelmed by the goodwill and loyalty of customers.
“I think business is very, very good. We have had a fantastic response from the customers, from the managers and owners of the supermarkets.
“And business is almost back to where it was before the fire in all of those shops,” he said.