The Kerrygold Company and North Downs Dairy, both wholly owned Irish Dairy Board subsidiaries, are merging to create one consumer foods business, Adams Foods Ltd, effective from October 3, 2010.

The new company will combine the marketing capability of both organisations to grow the Kerrygold and Pilgrims Choice branded portfolio and will harness the respective strengths of the two cheese packing operations to efficiently deliver the broadest range of pre-packed hard cheeses to the UK market with an expected annual turnover of GBP335 million (US$499 million).

The factory facilities of both The Kerrygold Company, based in Leek, Staffordshire, and that of North Downs Dairy, based in Wincanton, Somerset, will remain fully operational.

Carl Ravenhall, currently managing director of The Kerrygold Company, will become the managing director of Adams Foods Ltd.

"Our aim is to be the most enterprising dairy marketing company in the UK and a leading supplier of cheese, butter and other dairy products to the retail and foodservice sectors. By combining our strengths we are creating one company that can market, sell, produce, and distribute the Kerrygold and Pilgrims Choice branded portfolio in addition to the broadest range of retailer brand hard cheeses across the UK," he said.

Alastair Jackson, currently managing director of North Downs Dairy, will become marketing director for Adams Foods Ltd.

"By combining our strengths we will have unprecedented knowledge of the dairy market and category marketing. We will be much better equipped to provide customers with all their dairy needs, from premium brands to everyday cheeses, knowing we can deliver efficiently and competitively," Jackson said.