Origin Enterprises chief executive Tom O’Mahony expects the company to enjoy continued growth this year, driven by dairy sector expansion and via acquisitions outside of its core UK and Irish markets.

Contributions from acquisitions and favourable currency movements led to Origin Enterprises posting a 3.5% year-on-year increase in first-quarter revenues, to €318m.

Diversified support services group DCC has reached agreement to sell 80% of its food and beverage division for €60m.

An Irish bakeryhopes to double its workforce and take a major slice of the global bakery market after making a major food technology breakthrough which is poised to revolutionise the sector.

The price of bread is set to rise in 2013 as millers, bakers, and retailers feel the knock-on effect of poor global wheat harvests.

Ireland’s heavy dependence on imported bread flour is to increase with the closure of the Odlums industrial-sized flour mill on Alexandra Road, Dublin.

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

AGRI-FOOD company Origin Enterprises and its majority shareholder, the Irish-Swiss bakery group Aryzta, have both refused to comment at length on reports that Origin has received a £400 million (€464m) takeover offer from an unknown private equity house.

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.

A TIPPERARY technology company is set to expand its workforce after signing a lucrative deal to provide technology designed and manufactured by one of the world’s leading providers of vision systems.

INNOVATIONS in plant breeding have delivered almost 90% of the increase in average cereal yields over the past 25 years, according to a leading Teagasc expert.

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.

AGRI-food group Origin Enterprises has shrugged off a difficult trading environment to post an 8.5% increase in full-year profits and deliver a first dividend payment to shareholders.

Food business Origin Enterprises - owner of brands including Roma and Odlums - today reported operating profits of €75.7m for the year ended July 31, up 6.7% on last year's figure of €70.9m.

TWO theatre lovers made a dramatic start to married life yesterday.

THE county’s biggest flour producers have announced they will close their mill in Cork and rationalise operations in Dublin and Portarlington, with a combined loss of 33 jobs.

Odlums is to cut 33 jobs in the next few months, it has been announced.

Twenty-six jobs are to go in Co Kildare with the closure of the Odlums milling and packaging plant in Sallins.

FOOD and agri-business group Origin Enterprises, owners of the Shamrock Foods and Roma brands, has announced a sharp rise in turnover and profits for the financial year.

IN THE past week two leading Irish firms involved in the food sector warned the globe is facing into a period of sustained food price inflation. The prognosis is not encouraging.

SHOPPERS stand to be hit by the sharply rising worldwide wheat harvest prices, according to Odlums milling group yesterday.

Convenience foods company Greencore has agreed to sell its 50% shareholding in flour and oat miller Odlums to Origin Enterprises for €35m.

QUICK Pancakes, an innovative product from a company founded 162 years ago, has been chosen by international buyers at Marketplace Ireland for a special award.

ORIGIN, the IAWS agribusiness and property subsidiary, planning an initial public offering (IPO) next month, has bid for warehousing group Moyglare Holdings.

Food group IAWS saw a total operating profit of €124.4m last year, up13.7% on the previous year, Denis Lucey has said at the group's AGM.

JOIN an organic box scheme and have a selection of fresh seasonal produce delivered to your home every week. Contact Organic Trust Ltd on 01 8530271,IOFGA on 0506 32563, or Demeter on 056 54214.

CORK clubs Ashton and Harlequins had to endure the agony of penalty stroke shoots out on Saturday before advancing to the next round of the Odlums sponsored Women’s Irish Junior Hockey Cup.