Pretax profits at Co Meath-based Lir Chocolates last year more than doubled to €2.1 million, new accounts show.
The German-owned chocolate maker recorded the growth in profits as revenues rose by 25 per cent or €5.94 million to €29.6 million. Lir Chocolates is part of German-based ZRT.
Numbers employed by Lir Chocolates Ltd last year increased from 171 to 193 as pandemic restrictions eased, while staff costs rose from €6.7 million to €7.45 million. Directors’ pay climbed by 28 per cent from €457,250 to €588,682.
The company last year received Covid-19 wage subsidies of €581,309. This followed the payment of €719,438 in Covid supports in 2020. Directors said the impact of Covid-19 on the group had been minimal.
If planning laws were changed, obsolete offices could be converted into housing to ease Dublin’s rental crisis
Johnny Lappin: ‘I got scammed by a rogue so-called roofing contractor. I foolishly paid him in cash’
The silence of the CEOs in the face of Donald Trump’s tariff chaos
Big pharma sees positive side effects in Trump tariffs
The company’s UK sales increased by 13 per cent from €17.77 million to €20.19 million last year, while its Irish revenues grew by 130 per cent from €966,396 to €2.2 million. Revenues for the rest of the world were 46 per cent higher at €7.18 million.
The business last year recorded operating profits of €2.43 million, while shareholders’ funds amounted to €9 million, including accumulated profits of €4 million.
The company’s cash funds increased from €4.98 million to €8 million last year.
Lir Chocolates cofounder Connie Doody died earlier this year at the age of 76.
