Full coverage: Agribusiness

Technological change in agriculture and food may have to adapt to shifting consumer priorities after Covid-19, but the pace of innovation remains unabated. Here is a look at six big ideas – and one possible spoiler.

The farmer-owned co-op is regaining full control of Glanbia’s Irish operations in a €300m deal. This will now be largely funded by debt secured on the group’s listed shares, reducing the need to sell under-valued stock.

In one fell swoop, the board and management of Glanbia Co-op want to regain full control of Ireland’s largest agribusiness, sell down its PLC shareholding and prepare for expansion into new areas. Its farmer members are voting this Friday.

Hannah Quinn-Mulligan reflects on the frustrations and inconsistencies presented by the authorities following her year-long investigation into Covid-19 outbreaks in meat factories.

As the world entered a destructive pandemic, the Irish dairy multinational had a bigger challenge on its hands: the sports and health nutrition brands at the core of its success story were running out of steam. A shock treatment delivered during lockdowns appears to have worked.

A destructive fire plunged the Belfast-based agri-tech group into the red in 2020 and triggered a board reshuffle, but growth was slowing before that. To turn R&D into profit, its CEO Richard Kennedy says the group now wants to bring in new shareholders.

Is a French retail revolution brewing? A consumer-led brand of staple foods has been taking over the aisles in the country and in nine other markets, offering lessons for Ireland’s agri-food industry.

As the food technology group recovers from Covid-19, its chief executive Edmond Scanlon answered a series of questions on the way it picks, conducts and reports acquisitions. The future of its dairy and consumer foods businesses is far less clear.

The historic Kerry Co-op is in advanced talks with the wider food group to regain control of its domestic agribusiness. The deal is a high-stakes bet for the farmers, and part of a final focus on high-tech ingredients for Kerry Group.

From new market entrants to the multiple challenges of online sales and higher expectations in the year of Covid-19, the Christmas tree market is not exempt from change… Or is it?