Greeencore CEO Patrick Coveney has faced tough challenges during his time at the helm but the horsemeat scandal threatens to deliver the biggest blow to the company’s reputation and requires deft handling, writes Kyran Fitzgerald

Greencore has beaten market expectations with a strong set of annual results, covering what management has called a breakthrough year for the group.

Convenience food producer Greencore has reported revenue growth of 44.5% to €1.4bn in the year to the end of September.

Greencore has increased its presence in the British food market with the purchase of International Cuisine Ltd (ICL), a Durham-based private label chilled ready-meal business, for an undisclosed sum.

Greencore has reported a near 47% year-on-year rise in third quarter revenues to £298m (€380m).

Greencore chief executive Patrick Coveney has seen the value of his holding in the group grow to €1.35m on foot of its sustained strong performance.

Dairy Crest Group is looking to sell its French branded spreads business, St Hubert, in a deal that analysts expect will fetch the dairy foods company about €360m.

Greencore shares on London’s FTSE are sure to attract a wave of investor interest today, on foot of a 52.6% surge in revenue growth for the 17 weeks to Jan 27.

GREENCORE is to delist from the ISEQ next month, paving the way for a switch of its share listing from Dublin to London.

NET exceptional costs of £11.7 million (€13.7m) resulted in profits at Greencore being halved in the group’s latest financial year.

GREENCORE has announced that talks relating to a takeover of the company have broken down.

A MANAGEMENT buyout of Irish-owned food group Greencore is looking an increasingly likely possibility, according to one British-based market analyst.

FOOD manufacturer Greencore could yet be partly acquired by its own staff, with London-based Shore Capital Stockbrokers yesterday assessing that a management buyout was still one clear possibility.

MY colleagues and I recently attended a briefing by a company named Kentz.

SHARES in Greencore jumped by more than 20%, at one point yesterday, on news that the company has received a possible takeover approach.

UNIQ — the British convenience food group about to be taken over by Greencore — has reported a significant return to profit for the first half of 2011.

ONE-IN-THREE prepared sandwiches sold in Britain will come from Irish food company Greencore, following its takeover of British firm Uniq.

GREENCORE is to acquire British convenience food group Uniq for about £113 million (€125m).

Greencore has today swooped for M&S food supplier Uniq in a deal wrapping up the last remaining slice of the former Unigate empire.

Greencore Group today swooped for M&S food supplier Uniq in a deal wrapping up the last remaining slice of the former Unigate empire.

THE results from Greencore, former owners of Irish Sugar — shut down a few years ago due to misguided thinking — showed some resilience.

THE shares of Greencore Group, whose focus is the own-brand convenience food sector in Britain, rose 2.99% to €2.99 yesterday, following speculation about its future.

A positive start to trading on Wall Street safeguarded gains on the London market today as investors cheered signs of a revival in deal activity.

The London market hit a new 22-month high today amid decent economic news despite the growing prospect of an International Monetary Fund bail-out for Greece.

The FTSE 100 Index held onto recent gains today as strong Chinese growth added to the positive sentiment in global markets.

A strong finish to trading on Wall Street last night ensured the London market got off to a healthy start today.

Chilled food group Uniq today said its recovery was on track after its annual results saw a return to profit for the group’s UK and French operations.

Foods group Uniq today said it was ready for the next stage of its recovery in the UK after sales increased 6.1% in the last three months of 2006.

Maiden results from credit checking firm Experian were well received today following a 3% jump in its share price.

Food group Dairy Crest was today poised to become one of the leading spread manufacturers in France.

Convenience foods group Uniq revealed a surge in pre-Christmas business today as it mirrored the revival of its biggest customer Marks & Spencer.

London’s leading shares managed to scrape into positive territory today after a boost from oil and energy stocks.

Mining stocks drove the FTSE 100 Index to a new four year high today after traders had earlier breathed a sigh of relief at the passing of Hurricane Rita.

Relief at lower oil prices helped the FTSE 100 Index rack up its fifth consecutive session of gains today.

Billionaire entrepreneur Philip Green said today there were no acquisitions on his radar as he warned the retail sector would see little growth this year.

Convenience foods business Uniq said today it was looking for a new chief executive as part of a strategic overhaul at the former takeover target.

The FTSE 100 Index bounced back from gloom caused by a profits warning from Boots today to break through the key 5000 barrier.

Takeover talk was fuelling London shares again today as the FTSE 100 Index held ground above the key 5000 barrier.

The London market ended Monday comfortably above the 4700 level after a strong session for tobacco stocks.

The takeover spotlight fell on the lower tiers of the London market today as expectations of a slow week for corporate news were quickly eradicated.

The London market retreated from Friday’s 28-month high today as investors indulged in some profit-taking.

British convenience foods group Uniq today said it had rejected two potential takeover bids.

Convenience foods group Uniq said today it was considering the closure of two UK factories as part of a shake-up at its dessert-making division.

Investors took money off the table today as the optimism behind last week’s 15-month high in the FTSE 100 Index ebbed away.