A strong performance in Ireland and the US offset lacklustre results from the British foodservice and consumermeats business of Irish food and dairy giant Glanbia. Posting a modest 1.3% rise in full year operating profits to 82.7m euros on sales up 3.3% to 2.4bn euros, Glanbia said it was looking to build on successes in the European and US cheese toppings market by expanding its cheese and ingredients facility in Idaho and teaming up with US firm Leprino Foods. A joint venture with Leprino gives the Irish firm access to "cutting edge proprietary pizza cheese technology" according to communications director Michael Patten. Glanbia is the number one supplier of pizza cheese in Europe in a market growing 8% year on year. And the company is well positioned to capitalise on the growth of functional foods, especially fortified yogurts and dairy drinks in the US and Japan, added Patten. Glanbia is now in discussions with a number of European food manufacturers to provide mineral milk complexes, enzymes, lactose and other dairy derivatives for new functional health products. Problems at the UK consumer foods division, notably the cooked sliced meat operation, were to a large extent beyond Glanbia's control, said Patten, citing "adverse market conditions" including sector overcapacity, high costs of raw materials and poor availability of pigs. However, a heavy focus on new product development and better operating efficiencies were helping to minimise losses. Indeed, 25% of current sales in the cooked meats business were generated from products developed in the last 12 months. {{NEWS }}