Carbery on a steady growth path

IRELAND-BASED Carbery Group has declared strong operational and financial performance in its 2013 annual results.  The Group posted an 11.9% increase in turnover from €284.6 million in 2012 to €318.3 million. It saw an increase of 23% in PBT at €13.0 million as compared to €10.6m in 2012. Carbery Food Ingredients, the nutritional ingredients business, as well as Synergy, the flavour and taste business, posted positive growth.

Optipep hydrolysed whey technology

The focus on high value nutritional applications brought about direct benefits to its ingredients division, whilst investment in R&D and process, based on its Optipep hydrolysed whey technology, resulted in a range of new products being brought to market during the year.  These new products were targeted at the infant formula and clinical nutrition sectors.

Investments in L. America, US and Asia

Carbery made significant investments in new infrastructure and partnerships internationally.

In 2012 the Group entered into a joint venture in Southern Brazil, with local multinational, BRF, to build and run a new whey processing plant on the site of BRF’s large cheese facility at Rio Grande do Sul State. Completion of this facility is expected in 2014 with plant commissioning scheduled for Q4. 

“This joint venture gives us access to large volumes of fresh whey which we will convert into valuable nutritional ingredients, using Carbery’s expertise. We are very excited by the potential of this development for the rapidly developing Latin American food and beverage markets,” says  Dan MacSweeney, CEO, Carbery Group.

High points for Synergy include the launch of a flavour facility at Wauconda, Illinois, and a new manufacturing facility in Thailand to serve the emerging markets of Southeast Asia. Synergy UK is currently completing construction of new state-of-the-art sensory laboratories at their High Wycombe site. These investments strengthen Synergy's ability to serve its global customers quicker and more effectively with an enhanced geographical footprint and cutting-edge technical capabilities.

Mr MacSweeney says, “There is now a universal focus on the creation of healthier and tastier food and beverages. Today, more than ever before, the insights from science are sought to provide stronger and more compelling nutritional arguments. Carbery’s innovation is focused on helping our customers to satisfy these market needs through bioactive milk fractions and flavours solutions.”