Golden year for Waterford stores honoured at business Oscars

Two Waterford shops were nominated for a prestigious Q Mark Award for Hygiene and Food Safety at this year’s National Q Mark Awards.  

MACE Houlihan Lismore and Garvey's Centra Coolagh’s nominations mean they were in the top 6.75% of all audits completed by the EIQA in Ireland.

The coveted Q Mark is awarded only to companies who achieve the highest standards of quality and excellence.  This was a very special year for the Q Mark Awards as the Excellence Ireland Quality Association (EIQA) celebrate 50 years trading.

Situated in Lismore, MACE  Ballyrafter Service Station is a family run forecourt and convenience  store business which currently employs 26 staff  on a full and part time basis. “We  continually  strive to maintain  and improve food safety  standards so to deliver the  best possible safe food to our  customers. This is a fantastic result and proof that hard work pays off,” Michael Houlihan said.

Garvey's Centra Coolagh is a forecourt  and convenience shop that specialises in  fresh food-to-go. “I  am delighted  to see our hard  work is paying off  and I am very proud  of our achievement” said Carol  Power of Garvey’s.

Celebrations are continuing at MACE Houlihan Lismore after the store made the final. 

Known as The Oscars of Business Excellence, the Q Mark Award is the highest accolade an Irish business can achieve, given both the intense competition and the exacting standards required.