Happy Pear Pare It Back

The Happy Pear 13FEB21

s with so many businesses across the world, the Covid-19 lockdowns would appear to have had a big effect on The Happy Pear.

With the lockdowns having closed its Shoreline, Dublin Airport and Clondalkin outlets and with restrictions in place at their Church Road flagship, the Flynnstones’ empire has lost 39% of its workforce over the past year.

And it’s now been revealed that their Dublin Airport will follow the Clondalkin outlet and not reopen.

Addressing the changes, The Happy Pear’s finance director Paul Murphy said, “As a result of the significant impact of Covid-19, we were forced to restructure our business and now have 72 active employees. However, we hope this number will grow in 2021 upon the reopening of our Shoreline site and the return of normal trade in our Church Road site in Greystones.”

New accounts show that before the pandemic, Flynn & Flynn Global Trade Ltd recorded revenues of €9.5m in 2019 and had 118 employees at the end of that year. Expansion costs meant a post-tax loss of €463,137, a 31% decrease on 2018’s €672,970 loss.

Whilst revenue figures for 2020 not yet available, Murphy pointed out that the business had been profitable for the last six months of 2020 – thanks somewhat to the 30,000 students who signed up for the Happy Pear’s online cookery and health courses.

“The online courses have grown significantly in recent years,” says Murphy, “and now represent a core part of our business.” The 2019 revenue from such ancillary activities was €384,000, with that total, continues Murphy, more than doubling in 2020.

The lads also sealed their dealings with Musgrave – who run the SuperValu chain – entering into a long-term partnership whereby the latter will produce, distribute and market all The Happy Pear packaged retail products throughout Ireland.

The two companies will also work towards “activating international markets globally,” finished Murphy, with an evil laugh. Probably.