By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance has released the annual Top 100 Index, recognising the leading companies operating in Ireland in 2023.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
The full list is available to download here
Keelings
Keelings is a 100% Irish owned, 3rd generation family business operating and innovating within the fresh produce industry since 1926. Keelings provide a range of services and expertise, including growing, sourcing, sales, marketing, supply chain and ERP software solutions within fresh produce. Over the last 96 years, the business has evolved and grown nationally and internationally, and now employs over 2,700 employees across 11 business units in 7 different countries. Caroline Keeling was appointed CEO in 2012 after numerous roles across the business since 1994 and today she continues to lead and grow the company to deliver on their, Better Food Better World, purpose.
Kepak
Kepak is one of Ireland’s leading meat producers, with 15 manufacturing plants across Ireland and the UK. Built on pillars of meat craft, trusted quality, and exceptional service, Kepak’s heritage reflects a deep connection to nature and local communities. Sustainability and animal welfare are central to its operations, driving innovation and growth. For over 50 years, farmers have relied on Kepak to process and market their livestock with care and respect. A family-run business that began as a butcher’s shop, Kepak has grown into a global food innovator, employing 30,000 people across 30 countries. The company was the first Irish meat processor to launch an Irish beef retail brand, Celtic Beef Company, in the USA. Kepak is also committed to giving back, pledging 4.2 tonnes of produce to the Simon Community in 2018, reducing the charity’s meat costs by 30%.
Kerry Group
Having commenced operation from a green field site in Listowel, Co. Kerry in 1972, the Kerry organisation has evolved from a private dairy processor, to a dairy co-operative, to its current incarnation as a public company with annualised sales of approximately €6.4 billion, and operations established in 27 countries across five continents. CEO Edmond Scanlon announced Group reported revenue increased by 10.0%, reflecting business volume growth of 3.1%, in the nine months to the end of September 2019 in the most recent set of results. Kerry Group will be celebrating their 50th this year.
Keyword Studios
Keywords Studios is a leading international provider of technical and creative services for the video games industry, delivering a global services platform across its network of 70+ studios, located across 5 continents and 23 countries. By working as their external development partner, Keywords Studios enables leading content creators and publishers to leverage their expertise and capacity across the full game development lifecycle. The company IPO-ed in London in 2013 to access capital for growth and acquisitions, growing from employing 50 people in Dublin in 2009 to more than 10,000 staff globally today.
Johnson Controls
At Johnson Controls, we transform the environments where people live, work, learn and play. From optimising building performance to improving safety and enhancing comfort, we drive the outcomes that matter most. Dedicated to protecting the environment, we deliver our promise in industries such as healthcare, education, data centres, and manufacturing.
Lakeland Dairies
Lakeland Dairies Co-Operative Society Limited is a dairy co-operative headquartered in Co Cavan. It collects milk from its 3,2000 farm family shareholders across 16 counties in both Ireland and Northern Ireland and is Ireland’s second largest dairy processor (the largest in Northern Ireland), processing 1.85 billion litres of milk annually. Lakeland Dairies is a €1bn turnover business with eight processing sites on the island of Ireland as well as operations in Ireland, the UK and the United States. Lakeland Dairies exports dairy products to over 80 markets across the globe.
Layden Group
The Layden Group was formed in 1978 by Joseph P. Layden. The Group has been building, investing and operating properties for over 40 years. Family owned and operated , Layden Group are noted for benevolence to their many smaller business tenants . Their support and encouragement of those new to Ireland, SMEs and independent business tenants has been the subject of many awards.
LetsGetChecked
LetsGetChecked is a pioneering global healthcare solutions company that empowers individuals to take charge of their health from the comfort of their own homes. By offering direct access to diagnostic testing, virtual consultations, and medication delivery, LetsGetChecked addresses a broad spectrum of health and wellness conditions. The company’s comprehensive end-to-end model encompasses manufacturing, logistics, laboratory analysis, clinician support, and prescription fulfilment, ensuring a seamless experience for its users. Founded in 2015, LetsGetChecked is dedicated to making health information and care more accessible, helping people to lead longer, healthier, and happier lives. The service is available nationwide in the United States, the United Kingdom, and most EU countries, reflecting its commitment to reaching a global audience. Co-headquartered in Dublin and New York, LetsGetChecked continues to innovate in the healthcare space, striving to improve the well-being of individuals around the world.
Mainstream Renewable Power
Mainstream Renewable Power is a leading pure-play renewable energy company, with wind and solar assets across global markets, including in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. Mainstream is one of the most successful developers of gigawatt-scale renewables platforms, across onshore wind, offshore wind, and solar power generation. It has successfully delivered 6.5 GW of wind and solar generation assets to financial close-ready. In 2021, Aker Horizons acquired a majority stake in Mainstream, and in 2022, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. joined Aker Horizons as a long-term strategic investor.. Mainstream has raised more than EUR3.0bn in project finance to date and has a presence across five continents.
Maxol
Maxol is Ireland’s largest family-owned forecourt retailer. Founded in 1920, The Maxol Group is one of the oldest private businesses in the country. From its humble beginnings to its 242 service stations across Ireland today, staying true to the founding philosophy of being at the heart of every community in which it operates has been key to Maxol’s success. The innovative business offers a wide range of products and services to the Irish and Northern Irish markets through its convenience retailing, petroleum, fuel cards and lubricant divisions. Maxol’s business model is transitioning from being a fuel brand selling convenience products to a convenience food service brand selling fuel and new energies for mobility. The Maxol Group directly and indirectly employs more than 1,000 people and its service stations are run by local people, employing local people and serving local communities.
Mercury Engineering
Founded in 1972 by Frank O’Kane and Joe Morgan, Mercury is an entrepreneurial Irish-based European contractor. With a workforce of nearly 2,000 and annual revenues exceeding €750 million, the company made a significant decision to rebrand in 2019, the first and only change in almost fifty years. Mercury is recognised as a European leader in construction solutions, specialising in building and managing complex engineering and construction projects for global corporations. The company’s solutions support the delivery of technologies and innovations that connect people, communities, and businesses. Mercury’s success is driven by its people, whose courage, innovation, and determination enable the company to deliver projects with certainty and consistency, time and time again.
Meta Ireland
At Facebook their mission is to give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together! The work we do impacts the world, and the future. We work on things we’re incredibly passionate about, that align with our values and purpose, and that have a positive impact on the world. It’s who we are. It’s why we build. Join Facebook and our growing family of apps/services (e.g. Instagram, Oculus, WhatsApp, Workplace, Portal). We’re moving fast, making an impact, and just getting started.
Moy Park
The poultry producer, Northern Ireland’s largest private sector business, made headlines in 2017 when it was sold to American investors for €1.1 billion. Headquartered in Craigavon, the firm is headed by Chris Kirke. Founded as a small farm in Tyrone over seven decades ago, the group now processes an average of 5.7 million chickens per week, holding a market share which ranks it among Europe’s leading poultry producers. May Park has also grown to become one of Northern Ireland’s largest employers, with more than half of the group’s international workforce of 12,000 based there.
Musgraves
We’re incredibly proud of our heritage. As we continue to celebrate our 145th year in business, we have been reflecting on how far we, and the world we live in, has come since we were founded in 1876. The spirit of enterprise, integrity and innovation which characterises Musgrave is what makes us unique. Through economic downturns and significant world events, our policy of investing, changing and innovating has been key to our success. It is as we reflect on our past that we realise how much our values and people have made Musgrave what it is today; strong, resilient and ready to continue in the spirit of our innovative founders who had a progressive and dynamic approach to business. From our original small grocery store owned by two brothers, we’re now Ireland’s largest private employer with over 41,000 employees. Our family business is sustaining long term stable relationships, built on a bedrock of honesty, working hard, achievement and not being greedy. Our values stand us in good stead in the modern world. As we continue to adapt, innovate and move forward into the future, these principles will be at the heart of every decision we make.
National Broadband Ireland
National Broadband Ireland (NBI) is designing, building, and operating the new high-speed fibre broadband network for rural Ireland under the Government’s National Broadband Plan. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since electrification, it is the largest Public Private Partnership in European telecoms. NBI’s team brings together some of the most talented individuals in Ireland and across the world, with deep knowledge and experience in delivering transformational infrastructure projects. The team’s global experience in designing, building, and operating truly wholesale open-access telecommunications networks has resulted in developing a new national network in Ireland that has attracted over 50 Internet Service Providers in under 12 months of the network being active. NBI was established by Granahan McCourt, an international investor in technology, media and telecommunications. For over 30 years, Granahan McCourt has partnered with governments, corporations, and communities to connect people through innovation in technologically underserved areas of the world.
Nearform
NearForm is an award winning software engineering company founded in 2011 in Tramore, Ireland. We are recognised as a pioneer in remote working and a world-leader in solving complex problems leveraging open source frameworks for some of the best known brands in the world. We build software for our public and private sector clients in three core areas: Products to better serve their customers, Platforms to deliver a better experience for their developers and Data solutions to provide better insights and impact. As leaders in Open Source, we use accelerated software delivery methods to reduce time to market and maximise efficiency while building scalable, secure and agile solutions. We accelerate our clients’ impact through the design and delivery of brilliant software solutions and sustain their progress by building their internal digital capability. The successful addition of new funding from private equity specialist Columbia Capital in late 2020, is driving a new phase of growth for the business that builds on its foundations of providing open, innovative software solutions for forward thinking companies looking to bring world class digital experiences to their customers. Today, NearForm has a growing global footprint in 28+ countries, with enterprise clients across Europe and the Americas that include Telus, Walmart, Conde Nast, ADP, Virgin Media, EY, Protocol Labs, Betaworks and Charles River Laboratories.
Norbrook
One of the world’s largest private veterinary pharmaceutical firms, Norbrook was founded by Lord Ballyedmond in 1969 and remains family-owned. Headquartered in Newry, Northern Ireland, the company has developed a robust portfolio of veterinary pharmaceuticals, including a wide range of antibiotics and NSAIDs used for horses, cattle, and swine. Norbrook is also expanding its offerings in the Companion Animal sector. With over 200 product licences, the company sells its products in more than 100 countries worldwide. In its latest full-year results, Norbrook reported sales revenue of £230 million, demonstrating its strong global presence and continued growth in the veterinary pharmaceutical industry.
NTR Plc
With almost 40 years of experience in investing in and managing infrastructure assets, NTR now applies that expertise on behalf of investors who wish to avail of the attractive, reliable cash flows that quality sustainable infrastructure assets can provide. For two decades, NTR has invested in renewable energy and during that period, NTR has through its associated companies, constructed and operated c.2GW of wind projects and 630MW of solar projects across Europe and the US. Since 2015, NTR has acquired and managed renewable energy investments on behalf of third party investors through its renewable energy funds.
OHM Group
The OHM Group, established in 1972, is one of Ireland’s leading private businesses and is engaged in the exclusive distribution of internationally recognised brands and prestige products such as Land Rover, Jaguar, SAAB, Daihatsu, DAF, MAN, and Kohler-SDMO. The Group’s activities include the importation and distribution of motor cars, commercial vehicles, buses, materials handling equipment, generators and engines. OHM Group is also successfully involved in motor retailing through its Spirit Motor Group of companies. Over the last 35 years the OHM Group has built up an extensive wholesale and retail distribution network throughout Ireland. It has developed a broad customer base which ranges across major industrial companies, leading financial institutions, government bodies, public utilities, medium to small enterprises and private individuals. The Group employs approximately 200 people, operating from purpose built, state-of-the-art facilities at 6 separate locations in Dublin and Cork.
Openet
Founded in 1999 by Joe Hogan and Declan Conway, Openet is a leading software and services provider to communications companies, with headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. In August 2020 Openet was purchased by Amdocs, a leading cloud software vendor in the BSS/OSS space with headquarters in Missouri, USA. Openet works with 7 of the top 10 service providers in the world, leading the way in BSS innovation for 5G networks with over 140 Patents. For the last 20 years Openet has helped the world’s most innovative communications companies manage and monetise their business and evolve from communications companies to digital service providers.
Origin Enterprises
Origin Enterprises plc is a prominent international Agronomy-Services group dedicated to providing expert advice, high-quality inputs, and innovative digital solutions that promote sustainable land use practices. With a strong emphasis on science-led innovation and integrated agronomy solutions, the Group collaborates closely with over 48,000 farmers and professionals across various sectors, including agriculture, amenity, landscaping, and ecology. This partnership aims to optimise crop yield and enhance economic returns while ensuring sustainable practices are at the forefront of their operations. Listed on the Euronext Growth (Dublin) and AIM markets of the Irish and London Stock Exchanges, Origin Enterprises holds leading market positions in several countries, including Ireland, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine. By leveraging its extensive expertise and commitment to sustainability, Origin is well-positioned to drive positive change in the agricultural sector and support its clients in achieving their goals.
Ornua
Ornua is an Irish dairy co-operative that markets and sells dairy products on behalf of its Members, Ireland’s dairy processors and, in turn, Irish dairy farmers. Ornua is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products and has annualised sales of over €3.4 billion. Headquartered in Dublin, Ornua has a strong global team of over 2,900 employees, operating from 10 business units worldwide, including 13 production facilities. Ornua’s core purpose is to build profitable routes to market for Irish dairy products. The Group is structured across two divisions: Ornua Foods and Ornua Ingredients. Ornua Foods is responsible for the marketing and sales of Ornua’s consumer brands including Ireland’s most successful food export: Kerrygold, as well as Kerrygold Dubliner, Pilgrims Choice, Forto and BEO milk powders. Ornua Ingredients is responsible for the procurement of Irish and non-Irish dairy products, for the sale of dairy ingredients to food manufacturing and foodservice customers across the world, and for managing volatility through de-risking and trading strategies.
PCH
For over 25 years, the company has supported its customers through all stages of the product journey, from initial concept to product development, strategic sourcing, manufacturing management, and global B2B and B2C delivery. It partners with brands that prioritise design, consumer experience, and brand identity, designing and managing efficient, agile, and socially responsible supply chains. The company provides supply chain visibility and predictability, enabling customers to better manage their operations. Collaborating with global brands that share its values of transparency, health and safety, and environmental responsibility, the company strives for sustainability. It actively shares its best practices with industry partners, suppliers, customers, and sustainability experts to promote ethical and sustainable business practices.
Phelan Energy
Phelan Energy Group Limited was established in 2005 after solar energy solutions grabbed our founder, Paschal Phelan’s entrepreneurial attention. The Group now has global offices in Dubai, Dublin, Cape Town, New Delhi, Afghanistan. Phelan Energy Group Limited is a leading international energy developer with an exclusive focus on Solar PV. Led by a dynamic trans-national team the group commenced operations in South Africa 15 years ago. It has a total installed, and grid connected, capacity of 260 MWp, with a large and ever-growing global footprint. Our vision, as an energy developer, is to bring low-cost clean Solar PV power to future generations.
