Only the Best from the West
Transforming from a regional bread bakers to Ireland's largest independent traditional cake manufacturers has been no small feat for O'Haras of Foxford, Co Mayo.  O'Haras say dedication to quality is just as relevant in today's market as it was back in the 1950s when the company was founded.  The future looks bright for the family business which includes Phil as quality director, her husband Pat as managing director, his brother Martin O'Hara as Purchasing Director, brother Michael in Vansales, sister Kate as Customer Service Coordinator, sister Teresa working in Finance and sister Margo as Confectionery Manager.

"Care in the Making....Care in the Baking" has long been the company motto. The emphasis on quality is also a reason for the high demand for O'Haras products in Ireland and continued international success and expansion says Phil O'Hara. She explains that quality is what has differentiated O Hara's from other bakeries and helped it survive severe rationalization in the Irish bakery industry.  "We really are totally into quality in bread and cakes," explains Phil O'Hara.

"My husband and I would take a very active part in bread and cake production with regard to taste. We would not expect anyone else to eat our product if it wasn't acceptable to us. We have always used top class ingredients, there were times when we could have changed and used cheaper ingredients and got rid of a lot of our standards with regard to quality and hygiene, but at the end of the day we are in a quality niche of the market and we don't compete with price, we prefer not to and that is why we are so different."