I grew up in Glendalough, County Wicklow, in a house that was also my mum’s tearooms and guesthouse. It was our home, and it always smelled of baking. Everything was made from scratch: scones fresh from the oven, wild berry jams and homemade lemonade.
During the summer holidays, I helped Mum in the kitchen. Cooking for people and welcoming them in was part of everyday life. It taught me to appreciate good ingredients and the pleasure of sharing something you’ve made.
Years later, a friend with coeliac disease told me how hard it was to find gluten-free food that tasted good. I started experimenting in my own kitchen, making granola with the flavours I enjoyed.
In 2013, I took it to a local farmers’ market. It sold out on the first day, and Maria Lucia Bakes began.
Since then, the business has grown from my home kitchen into an award-winning Irish food brand, supplying shops, hotels and cafés, as well as customers overseas. Our products are made by a dedicated team in County Cork. Some of the people who first bought from me at the farmers’ market still buy from us today, which means a great deal to me.
Building the business has brought achievements I’m proud of and lessons that were harder to learn. I’ve seen how production costs, retailer margins and delivery charges affect what a business actually earns. I’ve also lost a retail listing despite good sales. Experiences like these have shaped how I assess opportunities and make decisions about the business.
My work with other business owners began long before Maria Lucia Bakes. I’m a Certified Master Coach with an MSc in Training and Performance Management, and I’ve spent more than 20 years coaching and mentoring owners and managers across industries including printing, financial services, horticulture, technology and food.
Today, I bring that experience and the practical lessons of running my own business to my mentoring work. I help people think through their options, ask the questions that need asking and decide what to do next.
And through it all, I still enjoy what first drew me into Mum’s kitchen: making good food and sharing it with others
To create food that nourishes.
To offer solutions that support.
To share knowledge that inspires.
Because when you feel good, you can do the work that matters.
