Northern Foods reports a good Christmas

Britain's Northern Foods said trading over Christmas was good and it was making headway in its aim of stabilising second-half profits at the previous year's level after a first-half profits fall.

In December 2003 the company sold the share capital of Northern Foods (Ireland) - Batchelors Foods - to the Maiden Acquisition Company, formed by Barry's Tea and Bank of Scotland Ireland for €62m for share capital and around €33m in respect of accumulated cash balances.