Evanston, Ill. – Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, the Irish Dairy Board, today, on the eve of EU milk quota removal, unveiled its new global corporate identity, Ornua – The Home of Irish Dairy. Ornua owns the iconic Kerrygold brand which is synonymous the world over for quality butter, cheese and milk powders, selling hundreds of millions of packets of butter each year. Ornua currently supplies dairy branded products and ingredients to over 110 markets around the world.
Kerrygold butter, one of the fastest-growing pieces of Ornua’s business, is now the No. 3 butter brand in the U.S. in both value and volume for Q4*. The brand also ranked No. 4 in the U.S. throughout all of 2014 in both dollar and unit volume* – an impressive jump in rankings from No. 8 in value and No. 10 in volume in 2013. And while Kerrygold butter has been experiencing impressive growth, it’s not the only Kerrygold product on the rise. In fact, in 2014, the Kerrygold brand was ranked No. 1 in the Specialty Cheddar Category in the U.S**.
Over the past five years Ornua has been transforming its business in preparation for the removal of milk quotas – a new era for Irish dairying. This new global identity marks the next step in its exciting journey. A video explaining the journey thus far can be found here.
Ornua’s mission is to open and develop valuable global markets for dairy products and in so doing, deliver strong returns to the farmers it represents. This goal is being achieved by a team of over 3,000 dedicated staff working in Ireland and across its 18 subsidiaries and in-market teams around the world.
Ornua’s drive to secure new, high-value outlets for Irish dairy products has seen the business make significant investments in the U.S., Germany, the U.K., Saudi Arabia, and most recently, in Spain. Over the last five years, Ornua has invested over €200 million in growing its brands, in innovation and in opening new production facilities and offices around the world. The co-operative is currently building a Centre of Excellence for Kerrygold Butter Production & Packing in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork. This centre will support the global development of the Kerrygold brand, which will be a valuable outlet for the expanded milk output from 2015.
The name Ornua links to Irish heritage and also brand heritage through the Kerrygold marque. The name is also easy to pronounce – an important consideration when operating in over 110 countries.
Commenting on the unveiling of the new global identity, Ornua Chief Executive, Kevin Lane, said, “Our business has been steadily building a global infrastructure to ready itself for the opportunities post quota will bring. We have invested in our people, our brands, new products, in our facilities all over the world and in the excellence and sustainability of all aspects of our business. A business with such reinvigorated ambition needs an identity that is fit for a very bright future. We now complete our preparation, by unveiling an identity which not only reflects our position as a modern customer and consumer-facing business but one which acknowledges and celebrates our proud dairy heritage.”
The trading name Irish Dairy Board Co-operative Limited has changed to Ornua Co-operative Limited. The change relates solely to the corporate identity. IDB’s corporate structure and portfolio of consumer brands including Kerrygold, Dubliner, Londoner, Shannongold and MU will remain unaffected.
This is the second time, in the 54 year history of the organization, that it has changed its name. Originally established in 1961 by the Irish Government as An Bord Bainne, it became a co-operative in 1973. It adopted the name Irish Dairy Board Co-operative Limited in 1994.
Recent Ornua Investments
• New global home for Kerrygold Production & Butter Packing in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork to begin production in Spring 2016 – new development will ensure a world-class supply chain to meet the evolving needs of Kerrygold customers and consumers around the world
• Opening of state-of-the-art facility in Wisconsin marks the completion of $80 million investment program in the Ornua Ingredients North America business
• Acquisition of a Spanish cheese business and the formation of Ornua Espana
• Currently constructing a cheese manufacturing facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to service the Middle East North Africa market
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*According to Q4 AC Nielsen Butter Data
** The Perishables Group Data – Grocery, Mass & Sam’s Club
Source: Ornua – The Home of Irish Dairy