Enterprise Ireland
Annual Report and Accounts 2004

Green Isle Foods

• Homepage
• Chairman's Statement
• Chief Executive Officer's Report

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• Section 1
  Achieving Export Sales
• Section 2
  Investing in Research and Innovation
  • World Class Success in Ireland’s Food Sector
  • The Sixth Framework Collaborative R&D Programme
  • Creganna Medical Devices
  • Green Isle Foods
• Section 3
  Competing Through Productivity
• Section 4
  Starting Up and Scaling Up
• Section 5
  Driving Regional Enterprise

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• Membership of the Board & Committees
• Organisation Structure
• Statutory and Other Notices
• Financial Statements
• Office Network

Green Isle Foods, producer of some of Ireland’s best known brands such as Goodfella’s Pizza and Donegal Catch, has always made research and innovation a central part of its corporate growth strategy. In 2004, the company announced a €22.6 million expansion investment at its main plant in Naas, Co. Kildare with support from Enterprise Ireland. The expansion will generate 130 new jobs. Sales of €35 million and exports of €23.5 million have been projected over the next five years. This investment comes as a result of extensive market research and innovation in product and processes.

Green Isle’s formalised innovation process keeps the focus on the consumer and includes all elements of the business. For example:

Consumer understanding: Continuous and extensive research into consumer trends, habits and tastes to drive product innovation and market development.

Brand development: To be brand leaders, the product must develop and change in line with changing consumer preferences. Brand integrity and messaging is crucial.

Customer relations: In addition to traditional customer relationship management techniques, Green Isle’s strong category management expertise provides a strong platform for enduring customer relationships.

Product excellence: As a brand leader, consumers expect and must always receive excellent products. This is central to Green Isle’s success.

Innovation in product and processes: The company’s continuous research into consumer trends drives new product development and innovations in the company’s processes.

Operational excellence / cost efficiency: New and improved systems and methods of production are constantly being researched and implemented.

Employee capability development: Innovation is a continuous process and Green Isle views its employees as a central part of its innovation process. They feed into the innovation process and receive regular training to enhance their capabilities.

Green Isle’s latest expansion is a direct result of new product development through innovation. The company faced strong competition for investment from other UK projects within its parent company, Northern Foods. Enterprise Ireland supported Green Isle in securing the project for Ireland and committed Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) investment.

Green Isle has a turnover of €250 million, 60% of which comes from UK exports. The company employs 1,300 through its six plants across the country and its new plant at Naas is due to begin production in Autumn 2005.