Trading Statement

Greencore Group PLC
27 September 2002

GREENCORE GROUP PLC

CONTACT:  MS. C.M. BERGIN        TELEPHONE [phone]
                                 FAX [phone]

GREENCORE GROUP PLC ('GREENCORE') PRE-ANNUAL RESULTS CLOSE PERIOD UPDATE


The following is the basis of an update that will be provided to analysts, in
accordance with usual practice, before Greencore enters its close period prior
to its preliminary results, which are scheduled to be announced on 28 November
2002.

The Group is pleased with the operational and financial performance during the
year: net debt at the financial year end is expected to be between €565m and
€575m (down from €874m at March 2001) and headline EPS* for the financial year
is expected to be between 29 cent and 30 cent.



Trading


The Chilled and Frozen division continues to trade strongly.  Sales in the
period April to August increased by 8% year-on-year, despite unseasonably poor
weather this summer.  There was particularly strong performance in the
Sandwiches and Chilled Ready Meals categories, both of which experienced growth
of 16%.  In Pizza, all production has now been transferred out of the Bedford
facility, which will now be closed.  Much work remains to be done at the new
Deeside facility to achieve the efficiency levels and competitive advantage for
which this plant was designed.



The Ingredients division has been trading in line with expectations, having
taken into account the reduction in profits at Irish Sugar, as a result of the
previously reported issues at the time of the production campaign.


In Ambient Grocery, trading at the Group's bakery business, Rathbones, remains
very challenging, and the Group is actively exploring all possible ways of
improving its position in this market.  The new cake and dessert factory at Hull
continued to underperform during the financial year, although volume growth of
7% year-on-year has been achieved since April.  The cost base has been
successfully rationalised, and the Group is confident that new listings now in
the pipeline will provide the further growth required to improve results
significantly in this category in 2002/3.


In Agribusiness, trading has been satisfactory.


Disposals


The sale of Erin Foods and William Rodgers (Foods) to Campbell Soup Company was
completed on 20 September 2002.  Proceeds of €27.2m were received, bringing
total proceeds from the Group's disposal programme since January 2001 to €230m.



* adjusted to eliminate goodwill amortisation and exceptional items


C.M. BERGIN
GROUP COMPANY SECRETARY


GREENCORE GROUP PLC
ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN HOUSE
EARLSFORT TERRACE
DUBLIN 2
                      27 September, 2002.








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