Many of us think Irish brands are Irish made, but it is not always the case, writes ConallÓ Fátharta

The UK’s largest food manufacturer Premier Foods has landed a crucial deal to renew more than £1bn (€1.2bn) of loans.

Hovis and Mr Kipling owner Premier Foods will launch a major television advertising push this week after admitting its marketing efforts had failed to keep pace with competitors.

The troubled company behind Mr Kipling and Branston pickle today said it had been given extra breathing space by its banks to get its finances in order.

RESTRUCTURING costs at Jacob Fruitfield Food Group Ltd last year contributed to pre-tax profits plummeting by 81% to €2.1 million.

VALEO Foods — the joint-venture of Batchelors and Origin Enterprises’ branded food division — has acquired iconic Irish consumer food group, Jacob Fruitfield for an undisclosed sum.

ONE of the key players in the agri-food sector has called for a new emphasis on agriculture and food as a means of delivering sustainable economic growth.

THE Irish food sector continues to offer hope for the future.

Batchelors and Origin Foods are to merge to form Valeo Foods, it was announced today.

The chairman of Premier Foods today announced his intention to stand down after six years at the helm of the Mr Kipling-to-Hovis food producer.

Drought-hit Dubliners were turning to Guinness tonight as water taps ran dry in homes across the Irish capital.

WATER supplies in some parts of the country may not be back to normal forseveral months, authorities warned last night.

Batchelors has had to put 40 workers at its facility in Dublin on protective notice.

HERE’S some food for thought – beans means recovery.

A new symbol to highlight Irish produce and boost home-grown brands among shoppers was unveiled today.

The maker of Branston pickle and Hovis bread today said it was looking at ways to speed up the reduction of its £1.8bn (€2.3bn) debt mountain.

Batchelors has announced plans to close its packaging operation in Athy in Co Kildare with the loss of 16 jobs.

SHOPPERS are stubbornly resistant to the power of marketing and instead prefer less fashionable names when grocery shopping, new figures show.

Branston Pickle owner Premier Foods hailed the success of its Campbell’s acquisition today after revealing a 12.2% rise in annual profits.

BATCHELORS have agreed a deal with Tesco UK to provide two new smoothies under the Sqeez brand to more than 200 shops.

BAKED bean cans in the 1970s weighed nearly twice as much as they do today. This was one of the reasons why Batchelors won the Repak Member of Year Award for large companies at last night’s Repak Recycling Awards.

Campbell Soup today said it is considering selling its businesses in Britain and Ireland, saying they have fallen short of its growth expectations.

BARRY’S TEA has joined the list of companies opting to give up its limited liability status.

THE Batchelors food company, which was bought by the Barry family and Bank of Scotland just over a year ago, recorded a fall in profits just in its last financial year.

British group Northern Foods is to sell its Irish operations, including Batchelors, to a new company called Maiden Acquisition Company, that has been formed jointly by Barry’s Tea and Bank of Ireland Scotland.

Northern Foods has agreed to sell its Irish operation, Northern Foods (Ireland) Limited (NFIL) which incorporates the Batchelors baked beans brand, to Barry's Tea for around £66.8m (€94.94m).

Barry's Tea, the privately owned Irish tea importer, has entered into exclusive talks to buy Batchelors, the Irish tinned-food business in a deal thought to be between €50m and €60m.