Kerry Co-op shareholders across Munster will vote later today on whether or not to proceed with the proposed €500m takeover of the group’s dairy division, Kerry Dairy Ireland.
The proposal, which was announced in November, would mark a significant milestone if approved by shareholders, as it would see Kerry Group become solely a taste and nutrition business, with Kerry Co-op regaining control of dairy processing.
In addition to the buyback, the proposal offers just under 12,000 farmers and other shareholders in Kerry Co-op a pathway to turn €1.4bn worth of co-op shares into cash, which could lead to a major economic injection for Kerry and the wider Munster region.
Kerry Dairy Ireland is a current business division of the Kerry Group processing over 1.1 billion litres of milk annually from 2,740 family farms across Munster. It employs more than 1,500 staff, exporting to over 58 countries worldwide.
The business delivered sales of €1.3bn in 2023 and has a strong portfolio of dairy food brands including Cheestrings, Dairygold, EasiSingles, LowLow, Kerrymaid and Charleville.
Kerry Co-op currently holds around 11% of Kerry Group worth €1.7bn.
The value of the co-op’s current shareholding will see shareholders given shares in Kerry Group for 85% of their co-op shareholding. The remaining 15% will be re-invested, with additional borrowings, to acquire Kerry Dairy Ireland in two stages.
Under the agreement being recommended to members, 70% of Kerry Dairy Holdings will be acquired before the end of January 2025 and 30% up to 2035. A value of €350m has been set for the 70% interest based on a total Enterprise Value of €500m.
The Special General Meeting will take place at the Gleneagle INEC Arena, Killarney at 12 noon today, December 16.