'Connacht Gold' maker Aurivo sees group turnover jump 12.3% to €814.2m

Irish agribusiness has interests across dairy, consumer foods, retail stores, animal feeds, and livestock trading

Turnover at Irish food giant Aurivo whose brands include Connacht Gold and Donegal Creameries has jumped 12.3% to €814.2m. 

Turnover at Irish food giant Aurivo has jumped 12.3% to €814.2m, despite "challenging" conditions in global milk markets.

Aurivo has businesses across dairy, consumer foods, retail stores, animal feeds, and livestock trading, and is headquartered in Sligo. It emplosy 770 people and exports worldwide. 

On Thursday, the company announced its full-year financial results for 2025, which saw its highest-ever milk which helped operating profits rise to €18.7m. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) increased to €29.5m

“2025 was a year of stable, resilient performance and strong delivery for Aurivo’s member owners. Favourable growing conditions supported our highest-ever milk intake, while our continued focus on value-add growth, operational efficiency and disciplined capital investment helped Aurivo deliver a record financial performance," said Aurivo chief executive Donal Tierney.

“As the year progressed, market conditions became more challenging, particularly in the final quarter as global milk supply outpaced demand. Notwithstanding those headwinds, Aurivo’s strong business mix, sound balance sheet and clear strategic focus leave us well placed to continue delivering sustainable growth for our member owners in 2026.”

Milk intake rose to 544m litres, and the average manufacturing milk price was 55.3cpl, up 2.34cpl on 2024.

Aurivo Consumer Foods saw revenues increasing by 4% to €164.6m fron €158.3m in 2024. Retail butter sales increased by 1%. Aurivo's butter brands include Connacht Gold.

Aurivo’s dairy ingredients business increased revenues by 8.3%, from €289.6m in 2024 to €313.7m in 2025. Aurivo’s sports nutrition brand, For Goodness Shakes, saw 20% growth in both volume and value in the final quarter.

Revenues at the agribusiness increased 8.5% to €173.5m with transaction growth of 3% during the year.

Aurivo’s livestock marts business saw turnover rise by 38.4% to €162.4m, from €117.3m a year earlier, driven by historically strong cattle prices, with average cattle prices increasing by 49% on 2024. Cattle throughput finished at just over 76,000, down 4% on 2024, while sheep throughput finished at 75,000, down 9%. 

Despite the strong figures for 2025, Aurivo expects the volatility that emerged in late 2025 to persist through 2026, alongside "rising compliance costs. and broader geopolitical and trade uncertainty. Softer dairy markets, input-cost pressures and tighter livestock supply are likely to remain key features of the trading environment. However, Aurivo’s strong strategic and financial position provides a sound basis for ongoing sustainable growth."