[17 May2012 ] Glanbia, the international nutritional solutions and cheese Group, today announced that following a strategic review of its Consumer Products business, it has agreed new terms to its long standing relationship with Yoplait the owners of the global Yoplait yoghurt business. Under a new agreement Yoplait will reacquire the franchise for Ireland back from Glanbia for €18million. Glanbia will continue to distribute the Yoplait branded products and provide field sales support through its Consumer Products business based in Dublin. Yoplait will progressively take over responsibility for production, marketing and account management in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Regrettablyas a consequence of this decision production will cease at the Glanbia’s facility in Inch,Co. Wexford.
While Glanbia has held the Yoplait franchise for the manufacture and sale of the brand in Ireland since 1973, the decision to move away from the franchise model recognises the current challenging Irish retail environment.
Colin Gordon,CEO Glanbia Consumer Products said today;
“This agreement to reconfigure the relationship with Yoplait will enable Glanbia Consumer Products to focus on ongoing innovation and the development of our core beverage and food brands, such as Kilmeaden Cheese, Avonmore, Premier and our other fresh milk brands. Regrettably this decision will result in approximately 50 redundancies. We recognise this is a difficult time for all those impacted and will be consulting with employee representatives in the period ahead.”
Glanbia milk suppliers in the region will have their milk collected as normal for processing at another Glanbia facility. Glanbia processes 1.6bn litres of milk at facilities in Ballyragget, Virginia, County Cavan, Ballytore, County Kildare and Drogheda, County Louth.
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Note for Editors:
Glanbia employs over 1800 people in Ireland of which over 600 are employed at the Consumer Products business which has locations at Dublin,Louth, Kilkennyand Kildare.
Glanbia Consumer Products produces household brands, including Kilmeaden cheese and the Avonmore, Premier, CMP, Snowcream, Golden Vale/ Dawn and Tullamore Dairiesfresh milk brands.
Contact information:
Glanbia plc +353 56 777 2200
Geraldine Kearney, Group Communications Director +353 87 2319 430 Glanbia Consumer Products:
Joe Carmody, Edelman +353 86 8058764 / +353 86 8131691