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Danone sells minority shares in Irish yogurt producer Glenisk
FoodBev Media

FoodBev Media

11 July 2023

Danone sells minority shares in Irish yogurt producer Glenisk

Danone has sold its 38% stake in Irish organic yogurt producer Glenisk. According to the French dairy giant, Danone's shares in the company were redeemed by mutual agreement. Glenisk has reverted back to being entirely owned by its founders, the Cleary family. A spokesperson for Danone told FoodBev: "As part of its ongoing portfolio review and having received a buy-back offer from the company, Danone has disposed of its stake in the Irish dairy products company, Glenisk. This was a non-controlling stake in a business which is not core to Danone’s activity in Ireland." In 2006, Stonyfield Europe bought a minority stake in the yogurt business. As a result, Danone, which acquired Stonyfield in the same period, took over a controlling stake in the company. Meanwhile, Lactalis acquired Stonyfield from Danone in 2017 for $875 million. However, Danone remained a minority shareholder in Glenisk while it "continued to be majority-owned and fully managed by the Cleary family," said Danone. Glenisk said in a statement: "The partnership with Danone was a positive arrangement for Glenisk, enabling the company to invest in its manufacturing facility in Killeigh, Co Offaly and in product innovation and branding". "The board of directors have now determined that a return to full ownership by the Cleary family is in the business’s best interest. Glenisk MD Vincent Cleary thanked Danone for its support and involvement over the years."

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