History

Glanbia has its origins in the Irish co-operative movement that evolved over the last century. Glanbia plc was formed in 1997 out of the merger of Avonmore Foods plc and Waterford Foods plc.

Glanbia - the story so far

1964 Waterford Co-op Society was established and the size gave the opportunity to produce a bigger range of products.
1966 Avonmore Creameries was formed and a new multi-purpose dairy plant was built in Ballyragget, Co.Kilkenny - the biggest processing facility in Europe at that time.
1974 Waterford Co-op entered into an agreement with Sodima, France to produce Yoplait products in Ireland.
1981 Avonmore launched Fresh Milk, the first Irish milk brand which went on to become a leading brand nationally.
1984 With milk quotas and super levies coming into effect, farmers were well positioned because their co-ops had helped them along the road.
19961988Both Avonmore and Waterford were listed on the Dublin and London Stock Exchange.
1997 Avonmore Foods and Waterford Foods merge to form Avonmore Waterford Group (AWG).
1999 AWG is renamed and rebranded Glanbia plc, a name that has its roots in the Irish language. Glanbia means pure food in Irish.
2000 Glanbia enters its first international joint venture with Leprino Foods to form Glanbia Cheese, which is the No.1 mozzarella cheese supplier in Europe today.
2001 John Moloney is appointed Group Managing Director of Glanbia plc. He joined the group in 1987 and held a number of senior management positions.
2002 Establishment of Group Nutritionals business. A leading supplier of advanced technology whey proteins and fractions.
2003 Glanbia agrees Nigerian joint venture with PZ Cussons plc - Nutricima, which supplies reconstituted evaporated milk, milk powder and energy powder to the local Nigeria market.
2004 Building commenced at Southwest Cheese, a Glanbia joint venture with the Great Southwest Milk Agency in New Mexico, USA.
2004 Glanbia acquires Kortus Foods, Germany - its first European nutritionals business.
2005 Opening of Group Innovation Centre, Kilkenny. Glanbia invest in intervention studies to develop nutritional solutions to match specific needs.
2006 Official opening of Southwest Cheese, USA. Purchase of Seltzer Companies, Inc., USA, a leading USA nutritional solutions company.
2007 Expansion of Nutritionals business with the completion of a new premix plant in China.
Glanbia acquired Pizzey's Milling, the industry's leading supplier of flax sead solutions expanding its nutritional portfolio to Omega - 3 and Lignan products.
2008 Glanbia expands its nutritionals operations in the US through the acquisition of Optimum Nutrition - a leading manufacturer of nutritional supplements for the sports sector.
2009 A 40% expansion in the Southwest Cheese plant will consolidate SWC's position as the largest American-style cheddar cheese & whey facility in the world.
2009

For a copy of 'Glanbia - the story so far', please contact Glanbia Corporate Communications.