Full coverage: Food

With no money and no contacts, Mark Kavanagh founded a vodka company out of college. Rather than being a punchline, Wexbury is a serious proposition and it’s taking off.

Jim Bergin is CEO of Tirlán co-op, which has now separated its Irish business from Glanbia. In his first interview at Tirlán’s new head office, he outlines how the company intends to make use of its new-found independence.

The plant-based food business is stocked nationwide and has three Dublin premises. After a period of rapid growth, it has now appointed an insolvency expert under the Scarp scheme.

Since launching in 2021, Kwayga's subscription service that matches buyers and sellers in the food sector has listed 50,000 suppliers on its platform and reached 50 countries. Co-founder Mike McGrath talks about the business model, supply chain disruption and the future.

Half-year results from the global nutrition group reveal the effect of its final divestment from domestic milk processing on its bottom line, share buybacks and the resulting value returned through its stock.

Vegan Sandwich Co was just getting traction at farmers’ markets when Covid hit. Its home delivery fall-back rescue plan is now just one of many channels for Sam Pearson’s business, which is raising funds for the next steps of its growth.

Politicians turning the sod on Glanbia Co-op and Royal A-Ware’s new plant yesterday were upbeat about the prospects for higher-value dairy processing and the removal of the legal barriers that delayed the project until this year.

Fulfil, which is majority-owned by entrepreneur Barry Connolly, has announced its takeover by the Italian group behind Nutella and Kinder.

Ireland’s largest dairy processor has completed its separation from the listed multinational it had created. Under full farmer ownership, its new priority is to boost lagging producer prices.

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.