MILISH BAKERY A TASTE OF TRADITION
Milish Bakery has maintained a longstanding presence within the sweet treats market, thanks to its lovingly hand-crafted muffins and scones. Known for its commitment to quality, but never one to boast, the company held back on promoting just how exceptional its bakes truly are – until a transformative rebrand in 2023. During an in-depth interview with Inside Food & Drink, Technical Director Gary McCarney revealed the company’s ongoing success since this pivotal milestone. Report by Imogen Ward.
IThas been one year since family-owned Milish Bakery underwent a major rebrand – adapting its name, modernising the company and introducing a new website in the process.
“The relaunch did a great job of getting our brand recognised,” said Technical Director Gary McCarney. “Since then, we’ve attracted significant interest from companies across the UK, Ireland and Europe, who now appreciate the exceptional quality of our products and the impressive variety in our range.”
Alongside this new exposure, Milish further strengthened its well-established relationships with UK multiples. As such, in March 2024, the company entered a multi-million-euro agreement with a major multiple, which led to Milish’s signature muffins (Lemon, Blueberry, Victoria Sponge and Chocolate, plus a new recent addition) being offered in 640 stores across the UK and Ireland.
So far, this new partnership has been hugely successful, having driven a substantial increase in demand, which prompted Milish to expand its workforce by 20%.
At the heart of this achievement lies Milish’s unwavering commitment to continuous product development, innovation and sourcing of the finest ingredients.
A recipe for success
Having worked at Milish for 25 years, Mr McCarney understands the importance of continuous product development and innovation: “It’s the cornerstone of everything we do. It’s what keeps us ahead in a competitive market.
“I have had the pleasure of leading product development and technical here at Milish for quite some time, and I know that every new idea comes with its own complexities and challenges. But innovation is what drives our growth, defines who we are and ensures we consistently deliver fresh, exciting products to our customers. If we stopped innovating, we’d risk losing our competitive edge that sets us apart.”
Milish aspires to always delight consumers with unexpected moments of joy. Through its dynamic product development, the bakery
provides fresh, exciting products that leave the consumer wanting more.
Despite its diverse range, Milish is also committed to preserving the artisanal quality of its production process – relying on a passionate, skilled workforce, alongside its own recipes that are made from scratch
and take inspiration from other beloved sweet treats.
“Our seasonal specialities are always a firm favourite amongst our consumers, and this remained the case over the Autumn period, when our S’mores muffins found their feet,” explained Mr McCarney. “These muffins are Milish’s take on a nostalgic autumn snack, with each layer carefully crafted to capture the essence of the classic sweet treat.”
Some of the bakery’s past successes include the likes of Christmas Trifle, Egg Liqueur and Pink Lemonade muffins (to name just a few), proving there really are no boundaries to innovation. And as a medium-sized, family-run business, Milish offers its development team the freedom to unleash their full creativity without the fear of failure.
“All our recipes are generated in-house, over the course of many years and with
much trial and error,” revealed Mr McCarney. “We accept failure for what it is, and we learn from it. What I always say to the guys in our business is that ‘no matter if it’s a trailblazer or a failure, we need to bottle the idea’. If it’s the next big thing then we want to be able to recreate that again and again, but if it’s a failure, then we can learn from it and do better next time.”
Award-winning brilliance
This same mindset has been applied to every one of Milish’s creations, and it has certainly paid off, with several of the company’s muffins and scones gaining award-winning status.
In October 2024, Milish took home five awards during the Blas na hÉireann Irish Food Awards. Bagging two bronze awards, one silver and two gold, Milish saw three of its scones and two muffins acknowledged for their excellent quality and flavour.
The company also took home silver at the Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards 2024, further showcasing its impressive capabilities.
“We felt an immense sense of pride when receiving those awards,” said Mr McCarney. “It took an entire rebrand – and the dedicated support of our Sales Director Gillian Wilson – for us to finally place a spotlight on our products. Without that initial push we wouldn’t have realised how important marketing could be.
“Receiving these awards has only fuelled our appetite for more. It all comes back to our core commitment to innovation and the
relentless pursuit to bring new and exciting products to the market. With this dedication, and our consumers’ desire for more, we hope to create the very best, award-winning treats.”
Cooking up collaborations
Of course, this innovation would be fruitless without one very important detail: good quality ingredients. Over the years, Milish has worked hard to establish a reliable supply chain.
“Just like any quality producer, we can only create exceptional products if we start with exceptional ingredients,” explained Mr McCarney. “We have to ensure that our
products are built on a foundation of really good components, and we need solid and trusting supplier relationships in order to make that possible.”
Milish has also benefited from many great partnerships with our customers.
Just like there are three sides to every triangle, the success of Milish’s products comes from the collaboration of three essential elements: its suppliers, its production expertise and its valued customers.
Only by embracing these solid partnerships can Milish continue to give consumers the products they want.
“The food industry as a whole has progressed significantly when it comes to collaboration across the entire value chain,” shared Mr McCarney. “There’s been a huge shift in perspectives, with everyone recognising that we’re all working towards a shared goal. Those good, tight relationships really make all the difference to creating a successful product.”
Although the relaunch has brought a new vibrancy to the business, and the progression of its value chain has been momentously positive, Milish remains steady on the same path it has walked for 65 years.
“We have always been on a path filled with growth and innovation,” said Mr McCarney, in conclusion. “That will not change. Of course, the rebrand has helped accelerate our progression along this path, but it will not encourage us to diverge from our tried-and-tested business model.
“We produce top quality treats, that are made with care – and we do so with innovation, inspiration and commercial viability in mind. We intend to continue baking the products that our consumers love, while introducing new and exciting alternatives along the way.
“It is only through the eyes of our consumers that we can expect to find great success: after all, they are the people who understand muffins and scones the best.” n www.milishbakery.ie
