Carbery Group expands reach into Asia

In Singapore, the manufacturer marked the official opening of the new Carbery Group Asia Business and Innovation Centre. Carbery also celebrated the tenth anniversary of the opening of their Synergy Flavours manufacturing site in Thailand.

Carbery hoped the opening of the new innovation centre would allow the group to foster stronger collaboration with industry partners, start-ups, universities and research institutes and with strategic key customers.

Strategic commitment

Chief executive Jason Hawkins said: “Ten years ago we made an important strategic commitment to expanding our business and better serving our customers in Southeast Asia with the opening of our premises in Bangkok. ​

“The team and our business have gone from strength to strength in those ten years and we are delighted to mark this occasion with the team. The decision to expand our footprint in the region with a business and innovation centre in Singapore is a natural extension of that success.”​

The official opening of the Innovation and Business Centre in Singapore was conducted by Her Excellency Sarah McGrath, Irish ambassador to Singapore, with Gordon Eng, Carbery head of business development and strategy in Asia. Carbery chairman Cormac O’Keeffe, chief executive Jason Hawkins and Ciarán Gallagher and Patrick Lim from Bord Bia were also in attendance.

Diversification of the business

O’Keeffe added: “Any expansion of our business is a good news day for Carbery and for our farmer shareholders. I want to thank them for their support as we continue to expand and diversify our business model and seek new customers in new markets. ​

“Asia is a key growth area on both the dairy and flavours sides of our business, and we look forward to the new opportunities our presence in Singapore will bring.”​

The expansion of Carbery’s footprint in Southeast Asia comes just under two years after it acquired ingredients and flavours supplier Innova Flavors​​ from Griffith Foods Worldwide for an undisclosed sum.