There are mushrooms coming and going here,” says Eugene Kiernan as a huge lorry reverses into the factory based in Kilnaleck, Co Cavan.

550,000lbs worth of mushrooms are “going” every week, and this is just one of five lorries that departs the factory every day, bound for the UK.

95% of produce from Breffni Mushrooms is exported. I’m brought into the packaging facility at around 3pm, the busiest part of the day. It’s a hive of activity.

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It’s full of the smell of new cardboard as mushrooms are packed into boxes that are nimbly assembled by workers quicker than you can say the word “mushroom”.

Mushrooms picked here today will be on the shelves in the UK (in Aldi, Lidl and Iceland to be precise) within 24 hours.

Earlier I had made my way to Kildorough (one of Breffni Mushroom’s four Irish farms) by way of escort from Ballyjamesduff. The Kiernans thought I mighn’t find my way otherwise, and they were probably right – I would never have guessed that a few miles down this windy road, beyond the hedgerows, lie houses upon houses of mushrooms.

I’m in awe upon entering the growing area. It’s full of thousands upon thousands of mushrooms.

White heads spurt through the compost on rows of built-in steel shelves that run from the floor to the roof. It’s like being in Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory – if you like mushrooms as much as you like chocolate.

The mushrooms grow 1mm every hour. A button mushroom, not picked, will double in size every 24 hours.

Breffni Mushrooms produces 50 varieties of mushroom. The company supplies all whites, browns, baby button and flat mushrooms.

The entire operation is run by four brothers – Pat, Eugene, Tomás and John. Some of the next generation, generally the Kiernan brothers’ sons ( including Aodhán, Barry and Mannix) are also involved. Financial controller Niall Thornton is the CEO.

But they weren’t always in mushrooms. Pat was a suckler farmer until 2001 and Eugene trained as an electrician with the ESB. In 1981, the Kiernans started their mushroom business and first started supplying Monaghan Mushrooms as small growers, but then they broke out on their own. Not a bad move – Breffni Mushrooms now has a turnover of €25 million.

The company supplies two thirds of Lidl stores in Ireland and some local Tesco stores, but it’s the UK market, with its population of 55 million, where Breffni Mushrooms sees the most potential. The customers the Kiernans are supplying (particularly Aldi) are gaining a big market share.

Eugene says there’s a push in the UK for local produce. He says that English consumers class Ireland as local to them, but Breffni Mushrooms has also bought a farm in Stirling, Scotland, employing 35 people, to help supply this market.

The mushroom industry in Ireland has changed over the years, from bag-growing to the current Dutch-inspired system. Huge investment was required for taking on the Dutch system – Breffni Mushrooms has 25 mushroom houses worth €200,000 each.

“Anyone who didn’t do it at the time fell by the wayside” explain Pat. “We spent €700,000 on picking trolleys alone.”

Epitome of local

The Kiernans are very enthusiastic about the employment they provide locally – which tallies at 290 jobs. Many employees are pickers in the mushroom houses.

But the company’s impact on job creation goes much further than this.

“For every job we have, there’s maybe four more,” explains Pat.

This is because the company uses almost only local resources.

They get their compost from Walsh Mushrooms, Carbery, and Monaghan Mushrooms, spending €100,000 on it a week. Cavan Box, based in Ballyjamesduff, provides boxes.

“If you want a good job done, go local” says Eugene. “The beauty of working locally is that you know the ingredients, you know where they’re sourced.”

They compare this to all the “jobs” provided when a big supermarket sets up in the area, which the Kiernans believe puts more people out of jobs than creates them.

“They’ll close Cavan town down for the other shops closing, and they take their profits out of the country,” remarks Pat.

The Kiernans’ interest in the local community doesn’t just extend to their business though. They are very invested in Ballymachugh GAA club. Pat was chairman of the club for 14 years and Eugene (a former county footballer) was treasurer for another 14. “It’s a sentence,” laughs Eugene. “Life is 15 years.”

Taste of Cavan

Given the company is so invested locally, it’s no surprise they’re participating in Taste of Cavan, which is a two-day festival of food taking place from 8-9 August.

This event showcases local food producers, chefs and restaurants in Co Cavan, from award-winning cheeses, hand-made chocolates and organic sausages to boxty, liquors and meats.

Ella McSweeney will be interviewing producers and celebrity chefs and there will be food demonstrations on both days from the likes of Neven Maguire, Michelin-star chef Richard Corrigan, “no-salt” chef Brian McDermott, Clodagh McKenna and Rachel Allen. There are trad sessions and plenty of entertainment for the kids too.

Eugene is delighted that so many exhibitors will get their day in the sun.

“These events make people aware of what they’re eating. The nutrient value of imported cabbage is only 4% of local cabbage. We don’t use chemicals here. That’s why we value local shows.

“They make consumers aware of how superior local produce is compared to imports.”