Glenilen Farm targets 9% sales rise

Cork-based independent yoghurt, desserts, and dairy product producer Glenilen Farm is targeting a 9% increase in revenues this year.

The company — which is one of Ireland’s largest independent yoghurt producers — is targeting revenues of €5.45m after clocking up €5m in sales last year.

The family-run business was established by husband and wife Alan and Valerie Kingston in 1997 on Mr Kingston’s eighth-generation dairy farm in Drimoleague, Co Cork, and has grown from a team of two to employing 40 people.

“In 2019, Glenilen Farm sold 1.2m yoghurt jars in the UK; 21% of our 2019 turnover was from our UK-based business, and we hope to see that increase to 25% of overall turnover in 2020, propelled by our glass jar yoghurt range, which has proven very popular in the UK retail and foodservice market, and has seen sales grow by 50% in Sainsbury’s year-on-year,” said Mr Kingston.

“Our cheesecake range also launched in 170 Sainsbury’s stores in November last year which has proven a very successful introduction into the competitive dessert category in the UK.

There is still a lot of uncertainty around Brexit. However, what we do know is that the UK market will always be Ireland’s nearest neighbour and so the two countries will continue to depend on each other.

The Glenilen brand of yoghurts started off as a hobby in 1996 for Alan and Valerie Kingston, before accumulated profits at the firm totalled €1m by the end of 2018.

The €108,220 profit for 2018 takes into account non-cash depreciation costs of €209,540.

The Glenilen Farm portfolio spans 50 individual products.