Glanbia boosts consumer foods business – with TV Apprentice help

10-Oct-2012 - Last updated on 15-Oct-2012 at 12:29 GMT

Related tags Food Business

Togetherness – Glanbia has invested £339,000 in the food business of TV Apprentice Jane McEvoy

Glanbia’s recent rescue of BBC TV Apprentice Jane McAvoy’s troubled food company is part of a bigger plan to build up its consumer food business and increase exports.

Collum Joseph, international business development director, Glanbia Consumer Foods, told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “We have a food strategy where we’re focusing our growth on family artisan businesses that bring a unique proposition to our marketplace. We look to buy such businesses.”

Glanbia recently rescued McAvoy Family Foods from examinership (court protection) by investing £339,000 (€420,000) in the troubled food manufacturing company, which is owned by BBC TV Apprentice Jane McAvoy and her husband, Gary.

Help Jane and Gary

“We have access to capital so we’re seeing how we can invest in the business to help Jane and Gary develop some of the ideas they have,” he said.

Joseph said McEvoy’s line of organic baby food, Harry’s Little World, was a particularly good fit for Glanbia Consumer Foods’ strategy.

“It’s a great kids’ free-from product so we’re keen to support that initiative into the marketplace. We see ourselves as helping the couple get their own plan for the company,” he said.

Glanbia Consumer Food is also launching an oat-based dairy drink, which should soon be arriving on shelves in the UK if talks go well.

“In terms of nutrition, it’s the same as eating a bowl of porridge,” he said. “We see big potential for this as a healthy filling drink.”

Glanbia’s business strategy

Exports form a major part of Glanbia’s business strategy. In addition to the UK, potential markets for the new oat-based drink include western Europe, Holland, Denmark and Scandinavia, where there is significant market demand for oat-based products.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if we weren’t talking about 80% of our business coming from exports in the future,” said Joseph.

“We’re a large consumer-focused player in Ireland and we’re building our exposure overseas.”

McEvoy told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “I’m delighted that Glanbia are backing us. It was very stressful over the summer being in examination, because we didn’t know what was going to happen to our business so we’re really relieved.”

To read our full interview with McEvoy, click here.