Irish Dairy Board votes to change name to Ornua

The Irish Dairy Board's members have voted to change its name to Ornua. The name comes from the the Irish for gold "ór" and new "nua".

The Irish Dairy Board, which is owned by Irish dairy processors, is the State's largest exporter of dairy products. Its portfolio of butter and cheese brands includes Kerrygold, Dubliner, Pilgrims' Choice, Beo and Mu.

It will unveil the new name and corporate identity on March 31st, the eve of the removal of EU milk quotas. The name change is being led by the need to position the board so that it is ready to exploit new opportunities in the post-quota era.

As part of its business transformation strategy, it carried out a review of its corporate identity and feedback suggested that the original name sounded staid and institutional.

The board, which has a turnover of more than €2 billion, exports its products to in excess of 100 countries.

The change will not affect the board’s corporate structure or brand names. The name has been submitted to the Registrar of Friendly Societies for formal approval.