Acquisition Announcement

Kerry Group PLC 5 October 2001 Kerry announces EURO94m further development initiatives in flavours and food ingredients markets and establishment of new global flavour division. Kerry, the global ingredients and consumer foods Group, today announced the acquisition of two flavour businesses, furthering the Group's global flavours business development strategy; and two further strategic acquisitions in the UK and Brazilian food ingredients markets. The businesses with a combined turnover of approximately EURO60m are being acquired for a total consideration of EURO94m. Together with the eight bolt-on acquisitions announced previously during 2001 and the acquisition of Golden Vale plc, this brings total Group development activity to-date in 2001 to approximately EURO600m. In line with Kerry's global flavour business expansion and development programme and complementing the Group's other flavour company acquisitions including Mastertaste based in the UK, San Giorgio Flavours in Italy and the former Burns Philp flavours business in Australia, the following flavour company acquisitions have now been concluded. The Geneva Group; comprising Flavtek Inc., Geneva Flavors Inc. and Gilette Food Flavorings LLC, with technical and product development facilities based in Madison, WI, Los Angeles and New Jersey, USA; is a leading provider of flavours and technology for savoury and sweet applications to foodservice and processed food manufacturers. Geneva Flavors and Gilette Food Flavorings produce a complete line of savoury, dairy and cheese flavours. Gilette is also a specialist fruit flavour provider through distillates, essences, extracts and concentrated natural fruit and juice flavours. Flavtek, Inc. is a producer of sweet flavours serving the dairy, beverage, bakery, snack food and confectionery sectors in the USA. Hickory Specialties, Inc. is one of the worlds leading producers of liquid smoke flavours under the 'Zesti Smoke' brand for application in sauces, marinades, glazes, smoked meats, snack seasonings, smoked seafood, soups, food coatings and prepared meals. Headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, USA, with manufacturing facilities in Crossville, Tennessee and Greenville, Missouri, the business has a well established customer base in the US market and a strong international sales network in particular in Japan, Brazil and Europe. Kevin Lane, currently President of Kerry Mexico and Central America, has been appointed President of the new global flavour division. Carlos Gonzales de Cossio, currently Director of Operations in Mexico, succeeds Kevin Lane as President of Kerry Mexico and Central America. The Group has also concluded two further acquisitions in the UK and Brazilian markets. Kerry Ingredients (Europe) has acquired the sauces and flavoured butters division of Voyager Foods in the UK. Operating from a world-class production plant in Sunderland, the acquired business manufactures a range of formed flavoured butters and a variety of authentic savoury sauces for fast growing segments of the prepared foods, food processor and foodservice industries. The acquisition is consistent with Kerry's mission to be a leading pan-European provider of culinary systems and ready-to-use ingredient solutions. The acquisition of Siber, located near San Paulo, represents a further strategic expansion of Kerry's food ingredients operations in Brazil. Siber is a leading branded supplier of ingredients to the artisanal ice cream and bakery sectors, with a well-established nationwide distribution network. The acquired business also expands Kerry's ingredients offering in Brazil to industrial manufacturers of confectionery, ice cream and bakery products, through its focus on sweet flavour development, including low-water activity sweet-fillings. For further information please contact: Telephone: + 353 66 7182304 Frank Hayes, Fax: + 353 66 7182972 Director of Corporate Affairs, Email: corpaffairs@kerry.ie Kerry Group plc. Website: www.kerrygroup.com
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