Kerry Dairy Ireland to create 100 new jobs amid rebrand

Tralee-based business to rebrand as Kinisla as it announces €300m investment plan

James Tangney, chair of Kinisla; with company chief executive Pat Murphy; Taoiseach Micheál Martin; and Mary Buckley, communications director, Kinisla.

Kerry Dairy Ireland — the former dairy business of Kerry Group — has announced it is to rebrand as Kinisla, and will create 100 new jobs across central and other functions over the next two years as part of a €300m investment plan.

In addition to the rebranding, Kinisla also published its results for its 2025 financial year, which showed it increased turnover to €1.4bn, while its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation stood at €86.8m.

“The business also maintained a very competitive milk price throughout the year, while milk volumes processed increased by 5.2% to over 1.2 billion litres,” Kinisla said.

“This performance, delivered against an increasingly volatile and challenging backdrop in the second half of 2025, reflects the strength of Kinisla’s diversified portfolio and positions the business well to create long-term value for farmer-owners, customers and employees.” 

According to Kinisla, its nutritional ingredients division delivered strong segmental revenue volume growth, particularly across milk proteins, which delivered growth in excess of 20% in 2025.

Its dairy consumer foods division saw record sales of its Cheesestrings products, as well as solid performances from brands including Dairygold, Charleville, Coleraine and Attack A Snak.

“The butter and spreads business also recorded volume growth in the UK, while rising demand for grass-fed dairy supported growth in the US, an emerging market for Kinisla. Dairy consumer foods delivered revenue growth of circa 11% in 2025,” the company said.

Its dairy ingredients division saw demand strengthening towards year-end, particularly in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Overall, dairy ingredients delivered revenue growth of about 4% in 2025.

Chief executive of Kinisla Pat Murphy said 2025 was a “landmark year” for the business.

“We delivered a strong performance, with turnover of €1.4bn and significant momentum across key parts of the portfolio, particularly nutritional ingredients and dairy consumer foods.

“We did so while maintaining a very competitive milk price for our farmers and continuing to invest in the people, capabilities and sustainability measures that will support our next phase of growth and deliver for our farmer-owners across the Munster region.” 

The jobs announcement comes as part of the company’s wider investment plan for growth.

It said over the next five years it would focus on expanding higher-value nutritional ingredients, “strengthening” its dairy consumer brands, and investing in the manufacturing, innovation and sustainability capabilities.

This strategy is supported by a planned €300m capital investment programme over the same period.

Mr Murphy said: “Our focus is on building a stronger, more scalable business that can deliver long-term growth, a competitive milk price and lasting value for our farmer-owners.”

Kinisla is headquartered in Tralee, Co Kerry, and has manufacturing sites in Listowel, Charleville, Newmarket, Farranfore, Coleraine, Portadown and Ossett in Britain, as well as its dairy consumer foods based in Staines.

It employs 1,700 people and its milk pool draws from 2,600 family farms and operates across four divisions.

In December 2024, farmers group Kerry Co-Operative Creameries completed phase one of its acquisition of a 70% shareholding in Kerry Dairy Ireland. The remaining 30% shareholding is owned by Kerry Group plc.