Family-owned Glanmore Foods currently serves 400 primary and secondary schools which are part of the DEIS programme with packed lunches, hot meals, and snacks.
Ireland’s largest manufacturer and supplier of school lunches, Glanmore Foods, has been acquired by food services provider Compass Ireland.
Part of the global Compass Group, Dublin-based Compass Ireland is one of the largest catering groups on the island of Ireland, producing in the region of 45,000 meals a day for workplaces, with an annual revenue of €100m.
Family-owned Glanmore Foods currently serves 400 primary and secondary schools which are part of the DEIS programme with packed lunches, hot meals, and snacks.
It operates on-site cafeterias in 42 schools, as well as supplying the national ‘Food Dudes’ healthy eating scheme that is managed by Bord Bia.
Glanmore Foods, which is based in Blanchardstown, will retain its business brand under the acquisition, as well as its current management team, employees, and existing operations facilities and suppliers.
Off the back of a recommendation from her own department, Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys has said that every child in a DEIS primary school will get a hot meal from September 2023, with the roll-out of hot meals to all remaining primary schools by 2030.
Glanmore Foods said it will “continue to focus on helping the Department of Social Protection to meet these recommendations”.
Commenting on the acquisition, Managing Director of Compass Ireland Deirdre O’Neill said it is a “unique opportunity” for the company.
“Glanmore Foods is a fantastic business, which is passionate about children’s health. While it will be business-as-usual from an operations perspective, with a relentless focus on providing a best-in-class food experience for children and schools, the future potential for our shared expertise is exciting,” she said.
“As well as the opportunity to improve the supply chain, client service, range and value, there will be additional business potential for local Irish food producers,” she added.
John Mooney, Managing Director of Glanmore Foods, welcomed the development.
“Glanmore Foods has state-of-the-art food manufacturing facilities, including a bakery and fruit packaging facility, all of which operate to the highest standards. Combined with the professional resources of Compass Group, our complementary operations represent an exceptional business operation set for extensive growth,” he said.
The acquisition is subject to approval from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Source : Irishexaminer
