In the quiet countryside of Walderstown, just outside Athlone, a family-run business has been steadily growing one of Ireland’s most important food products for nearly four decades. Reilly Mushrooms Ltd is not just a farm—it is a story of resilience, adaptation, and the enduring strength of family enterprise in modern Irish agriculture.
Founded in 1988 by Gerard and Mary Reilly, the business began at a time when mushroom farming was booming across Ireland. Back then, the industry was thriving, with hundreds of growers dotted around the country.
Today, that landscape has changed dramatically. As Kevin Reilly, one of the company’s directors, explained to Grocery & Retail Ireland.
“30 years ago there were about 800 mushroom farms in Ireland. A lot of people had set up mushroom farms and now we’re down to approximately 25 to 30, so there’s not too many of us left,” he said.
That stark reduction tells its own story—one of consolidation, rising costs, and increasing demands from retailers. Yet Reilly Mushrooms has not only survived; it has grown into one of the country’s leading producers.
At the heart of the business remains the Reilly family itself. Kevin and his brother Joe now lead day-to-day operations, while their parents, though less involved than before, are still part of the fabric of the company.
“There’s myself and my brother Joe and our parents Mary and Ger who are still part of the business, but they’re less involved in recent times,” Kevin said.
That continuity has been key to the company’s success. Kevin joined the business in 2010, bringing a new generation’s perspective, while Joe followed eight years later, in 2018.
Together, they have helped modernise operations while preserving the values the company was built on.
Today, Reilly Mushrooms employs approximately 70 people and is a significant local employer in the Athlone area.
The origins of the business are rooted in a practical decision made by Kevin’s father, Gerard. With a background in traditional farming and factory work, he was open to new opportunities.
“Gerry had a background in farming, he was cattle farming and he was also working in a factory in Athlone,” Kevin outlined.
“He met a friend that he used to work with that had gone into mushrooms. After a conversation with him, he went and had a look at his mushroom farm and decided that it would be a good thing to do.”
That decision would prove transformative. What began as a small-scale venture has evolved into a highly efficient, modern operation producing tens of thousands of kilograms of mushrooms every week.
Today, the scale of operations at Reilly Mushrooms is impressive.
“We’re producing about 60,000kg a week and we have 16 grow rooms,” Kevin said.
This level of output requires careful coordination, skilled staff, and constant attention to quality. Mushroom farming is a precise science, dependent on temperature control, timing, and consistency. Any disruption can affect yield, making efficiency critical.
Over the years, this family-run business has invested heavily in infrastructure and processes to ensure it can meet demand while maintaining high standards. That commitment has helped secure long-term relationships with major retailers.
One of the company’s most important relationships is with Lidl Ireland, to whom they have been supplying mushrooms for the past five to six years now.
It’s a partnership which has been built on trust, consistency, and shared values.
“We’ve built a great relationship with Lidl over the years and they value the fact that we’re an Irish company, a local company and a family business,” Kevin stated.
“We work very hard to do the job well and provide them with the type of service that they need and the quality that they need.”
In an increasingly competitive retail environment, such relationships are vital. Supermarkets demand not only high-quality produce but also reliability and efficiency in supply chains.
For Reilly Mushrooms, maintaining those standards has been central to their continued success.
Despite its strong position, the business is not immune to wider economic pressures. Like many in its sector, Reilly Mushrooms has faced significant challenges in recent years.
“It’s definitely a difficult period of time. A lot of increases in costs,” Kevin said. “I’m sure every business is experiencing the same thing. Between labour and materials, costs just continue to rise so it’s a challenging time.
“But, I suppose, it’s something we just have to face up to. We’ve been working very hard to keep our costs as low as we possibly can through efficiency and trying to do the job very well where it leaves us as efficient as possible.”
This focus on efficiency reflects a broader trend across Irish agriculture, where margins are tight and competition is global.
For mushroom growers in particular, the reliance on export markets—especially the UK—adds another layer of complexity.
Despite these challenges, there is a strong sense of pride in what the family has built. The business is not just a source of income but a legacy.
“We’re growing mushrooms for a very long time,” Kevin pointed out, “so we plan to do it for a long time in the future. It’s our family business and it’s something we’ve built up over the years so we’re very proud of it.”
That pride is matched by a determination to continue evolving. The company has already demonstrated its ability to adapt—from its early days in a crowded market to its current position as one of a small number of large-scale producers.
Like many businesses, Reilly Mushrooms is hoping for greater stability in the years ahead.
“We’d hope to see a bit more stability in costs,” said the co-director. “It was a difficult year or two that has gone by and we’ve had to be very flexible and willing to work towards improving all the time to try and stay efficient and cost effective.”
Volatility, particularly in energy and labour markets, remains a concern. However, the company’s long track record suggests it is well equipped to navigate whatever comes next.
“It will be great to see a little bit less volatility in the whole market in the future,” Kevin added. “But we’re going to keep going.”
That quiet determination perhaps best captures the spirit of Reilly Mushrooms. In an industry that has seen dramatic change, the company has endured through a combination of hard work, adaptability, and strong family foundations.
From a chance conversation in the late 1980s to a modern operation producing 60,000 kilograms of mushrooms each week, the journey of Reilly Mushrooms is a testament to what can be achieved with vision and perseverance.
And as Kevin Reilly makes clear, the story is far from over.
“It has been good to us over the years and we’ll continue on for many years to come, hopefully,” he concluded.
Reilly Mushrooms Ltd,
Walderstown,
Athlone,
Co. Westmeath,
N37XE94.
Phone: +353 861630433 / +353 868788858
Email: [email protected]
First published in Grocery & Retail Ireland magazine Vol 5 No 2, Summer 2026
