Since then, Kerry has expanded into every corner of the globe, manufacturing at 150 locations across 36 countries. It employs more than 22,000 people and last year generated revenues of €7.4 billion.
"I suppose there was a determination to make sure that there needed to be six large co-ops in Ireland and Kerry became that. That was probably the first big hurdle and the first milestone." Beatreme opened doors for Kerry in other markets. Kerry entered Latin America in 1994 and Asia Pacific in 1997. Throughout this time, it was clocking up numbers: annual growth was usually in double digits."We were never afraid to take on anybody. It didn't matter how big, how strong, how tall they were," he says.
Hugh Friel, Stan McCarthy and current CEO Edmond Scanlon have maintained that growth trajectory while, at the same time, evolving Kerry into what it likes to describe itself as the world's leading taste and nutrition company.
'Global taste'? Contender for worst corporate jargon award 2022 or a clever anti-imperialist ploy to turn all us supermarket shoppers off homogenised milk? Sour use of language to me. Someone really trying to cream it. 😉