Kerrygold butter’s growth in popularity in the UK and abroad has helped push Ornua to €3.5bn in revenue despite volatile dairy markets.
Kerrygold is now the second-most popular block butter in the UK, having grown faster than any other butter brand last year, according to parent company Ornua, which reported annual results this morning.
The Irish dairy co-operative’s revenue was up 1.6% in the 12 months to 27 December 2025, with operating profit up 4.7% to €136.6m before any members’ bonuses were paid.
Ornua CEO Conor Galvin praised the “resilient” trading in a “complex” year in a statement accompanying the results.
“I am pleased to report a solid performance from the business in 2025, a complex year in which we delivered continued growth across key metrics despite challenging global market conditions,” he said.
“Group turnover was marginally up at €3.5bn, while EBITDA and operating profit, pre Ornua Value Payment, also increased, representing a resilient set of results against a backdrop of volatility in global dairy markets.”
In the UK, Ornua said it had continued to perform well across both own-label and branded products, with “continued growth” in own-label cheese thanks to ongoing partnerships with major retailers.
Highlighting Kerrygold’s strong international performance, including its passing of the $1bn milestone for US retail sales, Ornua praised its team’s ability to navigate a tough trading environment, including renewed tariff pressures in the US. The company also achieved an 8.5% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions compared with 2024, marking a 39.6% decrease on its 2020 baseline.
Last year, Ornua introduced a new strategic growth plan to 2030, supported by a new operating model. The strategy, Ornua said, would “strengthen Ornua’s leadership in premium dairy through world-class commercial execution, enabled by operational excellence and a more connected global operating model”.
The reshuffle saw Ornua create a new global commercial division, led by newly appointed chief commercial officer Cesar França, who joined Ornua from Nestlé in 2024. The co-op has also unified its global operations functions into one division, led by Jason Musk. Musk joined the company in September 2025 from the Compleat Food Group, where he was chief supply chain officer.
In the UK, the push for growth will be led by the group’s new Ornua Foods UK & Europe managing director, Patrick Blake, who was promoted into the role in March 2026.
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