Ireand’s largest exporter of dairy products Ornua has reported record breaking sales of Kerrygold in the United States last year.
It said Kerrygold reached a record number of US households in 2024, following the introduction of a new 1lb butter block.
The Irish brand's popularity has risen to a point where it is now the second most popular butter brand there.
However, the company did flag a note of caution over the volatile trading conditions in the wake of tariffs introduced by US President Donald Trump.
Ornua said the first quarter of 2025 has been relatively positive for the multibillion-euro business.
The dairy group said its turnover for the 12 months to the end of December dipped by 0.2% to €3.4 billion, while its operating profits increased 11.8% to €130.5 million.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation last year rose 10.5% to €165.5 million.
CEO Conor Galvin said: "Kerrygold has strengthened its standing as Ireland's most successful food brand, with over 12 million retail packs of butter and cheese sold globally each week in 2024."
He said the exact impact of the challenges of trade tensions remains to be seen.
"We are confident in the strength of Irish dairy which is a unique and sought-after proposition on the world stage," Mr. Galvin said.
"We have premium brands and food ingredients that are enjoyed globally, thanks to the qualities of the Irish grass-based dairy farming system, the hard work of Irish producers and processors, and the unique strengths of our co-operative business model."
During the year, Ornua said that €2 billion of Irish dairy products were bought, which were further supported by an Ornua Value Payment of €72.8 million, made up of cash bonuses and additional premiums paid to member co-operatives for products supplied to the business.
Kerrygold Park, the home of Kerrygold butter production, had a record year in terms of output following its first full operational year after the completion of a €40 million expansion project in 2023.
Elsewhere, in the UK, Kerrygold ended 2024 as the number two block butter brand and the fastest-growing brand in the category.
The Group also said their use of renewable energy sources has steadily increased.
Over half of Ornua’s production energy consumption comes from renewable electricity.
"This transition contributed towards a 16.9% reduction in emissions when compared to 2023 and brings the total percentage reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions since 2020 to 29.4%," the company said in a statement.
*This article was originally published on BusinessPlus.ie.
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