A strong performance by Glanbia’s nutritional division drove the food producer’s profits before tax to €198.8m as 16,000 farmers are set to receive a windfall of almost 9m plc shares today.

FOOD group Glanbia cites strong growth in its global nutritionals unit and a return to profitability in the Irish dairy ingredients sector as key factors in its turnaround of fortunes over the past 12 months.