PhD graduate Eve Mulcahy enjoyed several industry research roles before swapping her lab coat for a more customer-facing role with Glanbia Ireland four years ago. The Tipperary native, who has moved back home to the Tipperary/Cork border to work remotely since lockdown, still revels in the buzz and the variety she gets from working with the commercial team in the rapidly changing proteins ingredient category.

“No two days are the same in my job. The pace is phenomenal and you have to adapt and change to market and customer needs all of the time. Our parent company is the largest sports nutrition company in the world so there are always new customers, new products being developed, new categories and new opportunities.

“My mornings typically involve customer meetings and afternoons are spent chatting to colleagues across a wide variety of teams – from agri through to operations. It’s very much a cross-functional role and I deal with a huge number of people on different teams right across the business.

“I miss the face to face interactions we had pre-Covid. I love meeting people and making connections. But on the plus side and I always believe there is a plus side to everything, it has also been easier in some ways to get meetings with key customers as they are more accessible.
“People have also become more health conscious since the pandemic. Lots of foods now have added protein and more people have a more active lifestyle. A whole new generation are more health conscious and it’s also a busy and active area to work in as we also care for an ageing population with more health issues. Protein is fundamental to a healthy lifestyle and diet and this gives us lots of opportunities for growth.”

Eve misses the buzz of working in Ballyragget and living in Kilkenny but since moving home, she’s welcomed a new addition to the family – a highly energetic, adorable rescue border collie called Jack. He may have failed sheepdog school but has a Masters in affection and a passion for anything to do with a ball.

“He is obsessed with playing ball. As soon as he hears a door opening, he’s bounding at you with a ball. I’ve spent a small fortune on toys for him since he arrived. He has been great because he is full of energy and needs loads of walks. He has helped me to unwind with plenty of walks, plenty of fun in the garden and has excelled at running and just having fun. We’ve always had dogs and he is a brilliant addition to the family.”

Glanbia Ireland is very much home for Eve now and while she is a scientist at heart, she’s absolutely revelling in her busy role. The teams based on the sites have not lost touch with one another. “We made a commitment early on that we would pick up the phone to one another, rather than sending emails all the time. We’ve kept it up. I’m not sure when we will return to an office scenario, but I am looking forward to it.”

Asked about the future, Eve said: “I love the Co-op ethos in Glanbia. We are working in rural communities, for rural communities. Working for Glanbia Ireland helps me understand the impact of dairy farming and by developing new opportunities with global customers, it can contribute to the economies of towns and villages in rural Ireland.”