THE €33 million bid by Kerry Group for Newmarket Co-op will be explained in detail to the society’s shareholders at a meeting in Ballydesmond tonight.

MARKET analysts reacted positively yesterday to Kerry Group’s €33 million bid for Newmarket Co-op.

FOOD exporters stand to benefit from increased earnings thanks to measures – particularly a lowering of corporation tax – unveiled in the British budget earlier this week.

GLANBIA Plc shares fell 5% yesterday after a poll indicated the proposed sale of its Irish dairy business to Glanbia Co-op may not have majority support from farmers.

ANALYSTS were generally impressed with Aryzta’s first half performance that was slightly better than they expected.

IRISH Continental Group (ICG), in which troubled property developer Liam Carroll has a key minority holding, suffered a sharp fall in turnover and profits in the first half of the year.

WHEN C&C appointed John Dunsmore, the former boss of Scottish and Newcastle, as its new head, sceptics wanted to know how he and other S&N executives appointed with him would adapt to their new-found roles at the head of Ireland’s struggling cider group.

KERRY Group’s strong cash flow gives it the scope to spend a minimum of €250 million a year on acquisitions without increasing borrowings, according to chief executive Stan McCarthy.

GLANBIA might be able to buy financially stressed Irish rivals this year according to NCB Stockbrokers, despite the Kilkenny-based company facing trading difficulties.

RECENT headlines announcing 210 jobs to go at Glanbia as it cuts costs of €16 million suggests a group under pressure.

ARYZTA, the company to be created by IAWS’s takeover of Hiestand, may sell a stake in Origin Enterprises to focus on its main business, according to NCB Stockbrokers.

THE world’s biggest sandwich maker, Greencore, felt the impact of its €21 million profit write-down in its share price yesterday.

GLANBIA management yesterday announced it will re-employ 60 staff full time and 160 others on a part-time basis after fire gutted the plant in Co Offaly.

FYFFES warned yesterday that its 2007 earnings were likely to be lower than expected due to an increase in fuel prices and higher than anticipated losses at its Brazilian joint venture, Nolem.

PEOPLE will today sweeten their traditional St Patrick’s Day cuppas with spoonfuls of Irish sugar.

DONEGAL Creameries maintained its dividend payments despite a 54% fall in post-tax profits to €1.74m.

C&C’S plans to launch Magners cider in Britain has opened the Irish company to a counter-attack from British brewing giant Scottish & Newcastle (S&N), which plans retaliation by launching Strongbow draught cider in Irish pubs.

THE decision to close Carlow Sugar Factory and upgrade the Mallow site leaves Ireland with just one processing plant at a time when the planned European sugar regime reforms have the potential to wipe out the industry in Ireland.

THREE of Ireland’s largest publicly-quoted companies CRH, Kerry Group and Eircom are expected to announce bottom-line increases later this week.

C&C is unlikely to make a play for Scottish whisky maker Glenmorangie which has come on the market with a stg£220m plus (€330m) price tag.

COUNCIL members of Glanbia Co-op were told yesterday that the proposal to delist the company was unacceptable.

KERRY GROUP shares are trading at a 50% discount to peer companies around the world and offer a significant buying opportunity, according to NCB stockbrokers.

IAWS is on course to record pre-tax profits of close to €80 million this year.