Kerry Group has maintained its strong earnings growth outlook for 2017 on the back of a solid performance in the first three months of the year.

Kerry Group has dismissed speculation it might sell its consumer food arm by saying it remains “very, very committed” to it and still sees further growth opportunities arising from the division.

Never likely to lose the run of himself and indulge in over-the-top histrionics, one can truly tell Kerry Group is in good shape and on the right track when Stan McCarthy uses terms like “extraordinary” and “optimistic” to describe current group performance and outlook.