We chat to Brodericks CEO Grace O’ Shaughnessy about the exciting path ahead for the renowned company after its 2024 acquisition by the JLA Group.
Something special happens when a heritage brand is reinvigorated and reenergised by an ambitious investment and a fresh approach. Brodericks has been delivering bespoke commercial kitchen design, equipment, and service solutions in Ireland for an impressive 97 years, and today it offers a unique end-to-end solution for the Irish market.
“We provide design consultation and installation for large scale catering solutions par excellence as well as aftersales care and servicing of equipment,” says CEO Grace O’ Shaughnessy, who joined the company in 2024 on the cusp of its acquisition by the JLA Group, a UK market leader for over 50 years in the delivery of laundry, catering, HVAC and fire safety equipment solutions.
Grace tells us Brodericks is not only here to stay, but going through an exciting metamorphosis, growing, expanding, and innovating, and rather than diluting the brand’s Irishness and proud heritage, the acquisition will serve to strengthen it.
“People are very proud of the company and loyal, so naturally when the business was acquired, I was asked what that meant for the Brodericks brand,” she tells us. “I said it means we develop it further and tell the story of our heritage and the great work we’re doing in market better. We’re an established Irish brand with our own values, culture and way of doing business. While we have the strength and support of JLA behind us, everything we deliver for customers here is led locally. I’m also physically present, sitting in the seat here in Ireland as the link between our parent company and that is key.”
It’s clear Grace’s expansive career and experience led her to that seat. After spending what she says was a wonderful 17 years in another renowned Irish company, Java Republic, she was eager for a new challenge. When the opportunity arose to join Brodericks at this exciting time of change, she jumped at the chance, but with a caveat:
“My job, essentially, is to build a solid platform.
It’s demanding but rewarding and I thrive in a challenging environment more than sitting in comfort.
We’re an established Irish brand with our own values, culture and way of doing business.
While we have the strength and support of JLA behind us, everything we deliver for customers here is led locally.”
“The acquisition element excited me more than anything, that idea of helping reinvigorate a company that’s 97 years young, but I wanted a seat at the the table,” she says. “I wanted to inform the decisions that drove the strategies of the business and have our people at the heart of what we were doing. I felt well-positioned to do that; while the business is different to coffee, our focus remains the same around people, culture and strategy.” When Grace joined as CEO, she says she couldn’t wait to get stuck in. “I didn’t believe we had exploited all our opportunities, and that excited me,” she tells us.
We ask Grace if coming into a company that already had a way of doing things was a challenge?
“I was mindful when I came in that the business being sold was a significant change for the team, that initial unknown, but I didn’t come in to change all that had got the business to where is it today, and push my views only,” she says. “It’s a collaboration, and the team’s experience and expertise are second to none. I met with every member to learn about the business and explain how I worked. It was important they became comfortable with me first, then we could start to look for opportunities, be it procurement, process, or design.”
Grace tells us the calibre of the team is central to Brodericks success, and this has led to strong partnerships and a heritage steeped in trust.
“The relationships fostered over the years are excellent and an important aspect of the acquisition was they would be protected,” she says. “Within the first few weeks it was face-to-face meetings, so our people knew who I was and what change meant for them and our commitments to the business. Complementing that is a reputational piece that people want to buy into. Ireland is small and you’re only a phone call away from a client that can vouch for our work, and that trust has earned us repeat business and referrals.”
Broderick’s reputation is certainly a boon for JLA and Grace tells us the goal is to build on that.
“JLA has acquired Broderick’s to build on their existing presence on the Island of Ireland.,” she says.“We have a unique, market-leading proposition. No other provider has the in-house ability to work hand in hand with the architect and construction companies, as well as provide the expertise we have. JLA saw that opportunity and recognised that our approach could also be applied to laundry solutions.”
A significant investment has been made since the acquisition, Grace tells us. In the past 18 months JLA has invested in technology as well as added to the admin, design, finance, commercial and service teams. A leadership team with a commercial director for both laundry and catering, a finance director and an operations director have also been established.
“We are nothing without our people, so investing in them is crucial to the success of the business,” Grace says. “The investment into technology provides an asset that elevates our offering. AI has worked well for us in terms of visuals and freeing up the bandwidth of our team. The key, we’ve learned, is having the right people with the right skill to use AI in the right way to get the most out of it.”
We ask Grace how a client project comes together and she tells us to understand Brodericks proposition, it’s important to start with its breadth of expertise. Brodericks has its own internal design team, commercial team, project managers, and a building information modelling (BIM) manager who provides clients with 3D modelling of the proposed fit-out. BIM & other 3D platforms enable us to create a fully coordinated 3D model of a proposed fit-out,” Grace explains.
“Rather than only looking at a traditional 2D drawing, clients can visualise the finished space before work begins. The design team can then incorporates equipment, mechanical and electrical services, helping us see issues before they arise, issues like space constraints or a ventilation strategy isn’t feasible. It’s a time and cost saver and problem solver.”
A project can simply start as a conversation with the team and our client, Grace tells us. Then it moves to the draft design stage, and from there a further conversation leads to the job being priced.
“We then reach a stage where we can value engineer things, like swap out one piece of kit for another or change things to meet budget or space constraints. We offer lots of options to our customers to fit their budget, needs of their offer, space, or team skill level.
When creating a plan for a client, we always consider innovation and energy sustainability, but our priority is functionality. For example, are they experiencing a high turnover of staff? Do they need a solution that uses less products, power, or water? This all comes to light in the conversations our commercial team has with clients. This consultation approach is quite unique at Broderick’s and for the whole team, owning an end-to-end offering is of utmost importance.”
Feedback from clients continues to reinforce Brodericks’ reputation for quality and reliability. Following a major redevelopment at SOLE Seafood & Grill, the team commended Brodericks’ professionalism, technical expertise and collaborative approach, describing the company as “a valued partner” and expressing their confidence in working together on future projects.
When talking to Grace, her enthusiasm and passion is clear to see. Yes, she tells us, this is also an exciting time for her professionally.
“We’re in a growth phase so if I’m not effectively guiding and directing, our people on the ground can’t deliver. My job, essentially, is to build a solid platform. It’s demanding but rewarding and I thrive in a challenging environment more than sitting in comfort. There’s new energy among our team too and excitement for what the future holds. Don’t get me wrong, everyday there are challenges but that’s part and parcel of our world. You might have a dip today and it rises tomorrow. We can navigate that because we are, after all, in the service industry.”
