Kerry Sees Ingredient and Flavor Growth

Kerry Group plc’s (Tralee, Ireland) ingredients and flavors division has reported business growth of 3% for the 10 months ending October 31, 2009. The Americas proved particularly strong, with good performance in savory and dairy applications, and natural flavor and taste modulation in beverages. Meanwhile, Europe, Middle East and Africa reported underlying volume growth of 2.3%, though a downturn in dairy markets impacted dairy systems. Reduced demand for premium lines impacted the cereal and sweet applications, while the recently acquired Dera Holding NV savory flavorings business performed well. Kerry’s ingredients and flavor performance in the Asia-Pacific markets achieved underlying volume growth of 9.1%, with culinary applications making good progress, particularly in Indonesia; meat systems, meanwhile, experienced a strong demand in Thailand and New Zealand, but were weak in Australia.