KERRY Group’s 2004 shopping spree broke the €600m mark following the purchase of four more flavour companies for €170m yesterday.

KERRY Group's acquisition spend in March topped the half billion dollar mark with the purchase yesterday of two US companies for €78 million.

MARKETS across Europe were mixed yesterday, the ISEQ index remained ahead for most of the day, and closed 43.78 points stronger at 5117.13.

Kerry Group announced today it has bought two US based beverage companies for a total of $95m (€77m).