14/08/2001

Golden Vale takeover gets go ahead

The Kerry Group has been successful in its bid to take over Munster-based Golden Vale.

After an initial extended deadline, the Kerry Group’s offer became unconditional on Monday after receiving a valid acceptance from 82.6 per cent of shareholders.

As an agri-food business, Golden Vale employs 700 people in Northern Ireland through its subsidiaries, Golden Cow in Portadown; Derry Produce Packers in Coleraine; Saint Brendan’s in Londonderry; and Leckpatrick in Omagh and Artigarvan. The company also recently opened Rye Valley Foods in Enniskillen and expanded a processed cheese facility in Coleraine.

The Kerry Group is ranked as the tenth largest company in Ireland with earnings up over 90 per cent per annum since taking on public liability status 15 years ago.

Although 72 per cent of shareholders backed the original proposal on August 2, an 80 per cent acceptance target was needed before the deal was able to proceed. (MB)

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