The Walsh Group was established in 1979, supplying quality mushrooms to the UK market. This service is backed up by its compost business, supplying a base of growers in Ireland and the UK. Harvesting is to individual customer specifications.

• Group Turnover will reach €70m in 2004.

• The business is marketing 850,000lbs of fresh mushrooms to the UK market place every week.

• Compost production is over 1,800 tonnes per week.

• Direct employment is at 150 full time people, with over 1000 other jobs indirectly supported by our mushroom growing activities..
  

WALSH GROUP HISTORY

• 1979. The business was founded by Pat Walsh, who pioneered the Satellite Bag Growing System linked to the centralised marketing of the mushrooms.
  
  
• This is the system now synonymous with the highly successful Irish mushroom industry and much favoured by UK retail buyers.
  
  
• 1980. Compost operations began from a newly constructed manufacturing facility built to the company's own unique design. This heralded the beginning of five years steady growth for the business.
  
  
• 1985. The present headquarters site was acquired in Gorey, Co. Wexford, including a brand new packhouse to cope with the rapidly expanding marketing operations. With the emphasis on shelf life and quality, vacuum cooling facilities were installed enabling optimum delivery temperatures to be reached in a matter of minutes.
  
  
• 1989. A major growing expansion, involving the building of 21 new growing houses at the Gorey site was completed.
  
  
• During this first decade of trading the company prospered and grew in both of it's core activities of compost production and mushroom marketing, with major investments in equipment and expertise benefiting both the group's own growers and others.
  
  
• 1990. The company's second packhouse was acquired in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon to handle product from a further 60 growing units as demand for the Company's products continued to escalate.
  
  
• The group expanded its compost manufacturing activities into the UK with the purchase of Agricultural Supplies (Fairford) Ltd in Gloucestershire. A conventional yard which supplies bags, blocks and bulk to growers throughout England and Wales.
  
  
• 1991. The company's concentration on product quality was rewarded with the Award of ISO9000 (BS5750) accreditation.
  
  
• 1992. A third packhouse was acquired in Athlone to handle production from an additional 20 - 30 growing units in the area, to accommodate the latest increase in 
  demand for our product in the UK. This acquisition had the added advantage of securing the future of existing local growers and employees.
  
  
• 1994. Environmentally friendly composting technology was developed. This pioneered bunker compost in Ireland.
  
  
• 1995. Further heavy investment (£2.5m) kept the business at the technical forefront of compost manufacturing with many unique and innovative features and the continuing development of Phase 3. The quality of the latter in turn leading to improved quality and yields of mushrooms and yet further increasing demand.
  
  
• For the following two years investment and expansion in the Phase 3 facilities continued, in order to underpin the group's future marketing plans.
  
  
• 1996. Equipment was installed at Gorey to enable the company to offer existing and new clients, in the ingredients and catering sectors in particular, pre-washed and/or sliced fresh mushrooms for a variety of recipe and added value uses. Additionally enabling the company to offer prepared consumer packs for retail.
  
  
• 1998. The food ingredients processing facility was transferred to our UK distribution centre at Evesham to enhance customer service.
  
  
• 1999. A new Athlone packhouse was opened costing £1m with a through put of 160,000lbs per week average.
  - Ten additional Phase II/III compost tunnels were commissioned at a cost of £1.5m.
  - Five new Indoor Phase I compost tunnels were commissioned at a cost of £1.5m.
  
  
• 2000. Our new UK Headquarters and distribution centre at Evesham was complete at a cost £1.6m.
  - A fourth Irish Packhouse at Tandragee Co. Armagh was taken over to expand our mushrooms supply base and ensure supply to our ever increasing customer base. Addition distribution links to Scotland and Northern Ireland and North East England were established. 
  - Six additional Phase III compost tunnels were commissioned at a cost of £1m - taking Phase III output to 800 tonnes per week.
  


• 2001. Investment at grower level and the acquisition of new growers in 2001 has increased our Irish production by 25%.
  


• 2002. UK headquarters and distribution centre was extended with an increase of 40% floor space. This allowed us to increase our value added capacity in Vale Park thereby reducing lead time to customers



• 2003. Investment at grower level has increased production by a further 15%



• 2004. Investment in Value Added machinery at our UK site has increased our capacity to service the UK market