Glanbia Foods Inc history

With its head start, Waterford was able to grow quickly and by 1966 the cooperative had already branched out with its first diversified product line, cheese production.

By 1969, the Ballyragget plant had reached full operating capacity.

By the end of the decade, Avonmore had added other operations, including the 1977 purchase of feed producer Welfed.

That plant was further expanded in 1978, while in that year Waterford built a new powdered milk plant at Dungarvan.

Avonmore continued its domestic expansion as well, acquiring several dairies, including Drogheda and Dundalk and Baileboro in 1986.

Avonmore went first, becoming Avonmore Foods Plc in 1987 with a listing on the Irish stock exchange.

Avonmore launched its United States expansion in 1989, spending some £20 million to establish its cheese manufacturing presence there.

In 1991, Avonmore and Waterford nearly came together, launching merger talks to create an Irish super dairy group.

Another Waterford acquisition came in 1995 when it bought The Cheese Company, paying IR£125 million.

In June 1999, the group sold off its U.K.-based fresh milk business to Express Dairies for £100 million.

Glanbia achieved a new phase in its growth in 2000 when it signed an agreement with the United States' Leprino in which it transferred a 49 percent stake in its Glanbia Cheese division in exchange for Leprino's cheese technology.

In 2003, the company announced its intention to exit the fresh meat business as well.

The Group invested significantly in the cheese plants in Idaho, USA and Magheralin, Northern Ireland and in 2004, in partnership with the Greater Southwest Milk Agency, it invested in a greenfield cheese plant in New Mexico, USA.