Glanbia Innovation Centre

Glanbia PLC
18 February 2004



                 WALSH ANNOUNCES €15M INVESTMENT IN WORLD CLASS

                               INNOVATION CENTRE



The Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Joe Walsh TD, today announced plans by
Glanbia plc for the development of a world class Group Innovation Centre to be
located in Kilkenny.  The project, supported by Enterprise Ireland and due for
completion in September, will involve an investment of €15m over the next five
years and will create employment opportunities for approximately 30 highly
skilled graduates, some to PHD level.



Making the announcement, Minister Walsh, said: 'Glanbia is to be congratulated
on its plans to develop a world-class innovation centre.  The scale of this
investment is a first for the Irish food industry and will significantly
strengthen Glanbia's competitive edge in the international marketplace.  The
Group has an established track record in the development of consumer products
and functional foods and a strong R+D capability is essential to its growth
strategy'.



'The Irish food industry in general needs greater investment in research and
product development if it is to move rapidly towards higher value added products
and to respond effectively to market requirements. This was also one of the key
recommendations in the Prospectus report on the strategic development of the
Irish dairy sector and I am very pleased to see Glanbia taking the lead in this
regard,' Minister Walsh added.



Welcoming the announcement by the Minister, Mike Feeney, Executive Director,
Enterprise Ireland said: 'The Glanbia Group Innovation Centre will be a
world-class research and product development facility specialising in
nutritional solutions for both consumers and customers.  Enterprise Ireland is
particularly pleased to see Irish food companies committing substantial
investment to high quality Research and Development.'



Commenting on the announcement, John Moloney, Group Managing Director, Glanbia
plc said: 'In line with our commitment to drive growth in high value markets,
the Group is focusing on developing products with a health based functional
foods and nutritional emphasis in both ingredient and consumer form.  There is
growing consumer awareness of the link between health and diet and Glanbia as a
food Group is committed to achieving the highest standards of best practice in
relation to science based innovation.  This new world-class research and product
development facility is core to this strategy.'



The new Group Innovation Centre will focus on the European market and as such
will complement the Glanbia R+D Centre at Twin Falls, in Idaho, which services
the US nutritional market.  It is envisaged that the Innovation Centre will work
closely with Irish and international universities.







18 February 2004

                                      ENDS



                    Contact  Geraldine Kearney, Glanbia plc
               Tel  [phone] or Mobile [phone]


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