BRITISH food group Northern Foods is well pleased with the strong trading performance of its Irish division, which has weighed in to rescue its parent from weak profitability on the dairy side and its BSE affected meat interests. Northern Foods, which controls the Green Isle and Batchelors companies in the Republic, this week produced marginally higher half yearly profits of £58.8 million on a £27 million reduction in turnover to £967 million. The grocery division, incorporating Green Isle and Batchelors, produced 60 per cent higher profits of £16 million on a 36 per cent growth in turnover to £178 million.
The rapid growth of Green Isle, which continues to increase market share in Britain with its strongly promoted Goodfellas and own brand pizzas, along with its pastry and fish products, is to be further enhanced by "significant" investment to expand output at production plants in Naas, Portumna and Boyle.
Irishman Chris Haskins, who chairs Northern Foods, is guardedly optimistic about the future. Strength in prepared foods, where sales surged 90 per cent and profits 24 per cent, is offsetting weakness in dairying and meat products.
