Lily O'Brien's

Lily O'Brien's was founded in 1992 in the Kildare kitchen of Mary Ann O'Brien and named after her eldest daughter, Lily. The idea for luxury chocolates came to O'Brien while on holiday in South Africa, where an edible chess set served as inspiration during her recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome.

With little more than two saucepans, a wooden spoon and her toddler Lily acting as production manager, Mary Ann began creating high-quality chocolate recipes for friends and family. The company has grown into one of Ireland's leading chocolate manufacturers, with approximately 20% share of the Irish premium chocolate confectionery category.

Lily O'Brien's exports to nine markets worldwide including UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia, accounting for approximately 75% of annual turnover. In 2018, the company was acquired by Colian Holdings, a Polish food company, for €40 million.