The Story Behind SilverPail Dairy

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.” – Sun Tzu
(And in the middle of rural Cork, there was also a creamery that would go on to change Irish ice cream forever.)

The Story Behind SilverPail Dairy

From Family Creamery to Ireland’s Leading Ice Cream Manufacturer

Every company has a beginning — and ours is proudly rooted in family, community, and one man’s bold belief in better ice cream.

Founded over 40 years ago in Fermoy, Co. Cork, SilverPail Dairy grew from humble beginnings into a nationally and internationally trusted supplier of premium ice cream. Today, we remain a second-generation family business with a passion that’s just as strong as day one.

Here’s how it all started — and where we are now.

1. A Creamery With a Clear Mission

SilverPail was established by Michael Murphy with one goal: to create the creamiest, best-tasting Irish ice cream using only high-quality ingredients.

At a time when mass production was becoming the norm, Michael leaned into craft, flavour, and care. That commitment laid the foundation for everything that followed.

2. Built in Fermoy — Backed by Ireland

From the outset, SilverPail has proudly operated from Fermoy, Co. Cork — right in the heart of Ireland’s dairy country.

We’ve always believed in sourcing local, supporting Irish farmers, and doing things the right way — even when that means the hard way.

3. People First, Always

One of the most unique parts of the SilverPail story? The people behind it.

Many of the original team members still work with us today, now alongside second-generation family and staff. In some cases, you’ll even find two generations of the same family working side by side on the production floor.

That kind of loyalty isn’t just rare — it’s core to our culture and success.

4. Quality That Grew With Us

As the demand for our products grew, so did our capacity and our capability. We invested in a purpose-built production facility, expanded our product lines, and introduced advanced freezing technology that allowed us to maintain small-batch quality at large-scale volume.

Today, we hold BRCGS Grade AA Accreditation and a fully accredited HACCP Quality Assurance Programme — the highest standards in food safety and control.

5. A Global Reach, With Local Values

SilverPail now supplies to major Irish supermarkets, international distributors, and foodservice providers around the world.

Despite our growth, we’ve never lost our hands-on, Irish-made approach. Every tub and cup still comes from Fermoy — and every recipe still carries our founder’s legacy of uncompromising quality.

Still Family-Owned. Still Creamy. Still Growing.

From a small Cork creamery to Ireland’s largest independent ice cream manufacturer, we’ve come a long way — but we’ve never strayed from our roots.

If you’ve partnered with us, stocked our products, or scooped our ice cream into a cone — thank you for being part of our story.

We’re just getting started. 🍨