FDBusiness.com

Irish agri-nutrition and food company Origin Enterprises, which is 71% owned by international bakery group Aryzta, has reached agreement with W&R Barnett to establish an all-Ireland grain and feed handling, logistics and trading business. The all-Ireland business is being formed through the integration of Origin’s R&H Hall business in the Republic of Ireland and the business of Origin and Barnett in Northern Ireland.

The combined business brings together two of Ireland’s indigenous grain and non-grain feed ingredient importing businesses servicing the animal feed and cereal milling industries.

Barnett is paying Eur28m to acquire a 50% stake in R&H Hall mirroring the economic interests of Origin and Barnett in the Northern Ireland business. R&H Hall generated an operating profit of Eur5.1m for the year ending 31st July 2010 on revenues of Eur301m. Origin will use the proceeds to initially repay debt and ultimately to fund development of the group.

For the year to 31st July 2010 the Origin’s agri-nutrition division generated revenues of Eur1.08b and operating profit of Eur48.2m. Its food division had sales of Eur260.1m and operating profit of Eur13.8m.