Tirlán, the new identity for Glanbia Ireland, has been revealed. The name means ‘land of abundance’ and recognizes the relationship between the dairy co-op, its people and the land.
The new identity was unveiled in an event in Tokyo, Japan, as part of a Bord Bia trade mission to the country, following its reveal to employees and stakeholders in Ireland in late August.
The re-brand comes several months after Glanbia plc finalized the sale of its stake in the Irish dairy and grains business to farmer shareholders, making it 100% farmer-owned. The transaction was worth US$307m and was completed in April.
Glanbia plc will retain and continue to operate under the Glanbia name as an entirely separate entity. Tirlán meanwhile will remain the largest shareholder in Glanbia plc.
The newly-rebranded business holds over a third of Ireland’s milk pool and gets its milk and grain from more than 6,000 farms. Its portfolio includes dairy and plant-based ingredients, along with consumer and agribusiness brands. The new identity will start to appear on packaging in the coming months, the co-op has said.
Speaking at the launch of Tirlán in Kilkenny, CEO Jim Bergin, commented: “It is with a sense of history and optimism that we unveil Tirlán as an ambitious, innovative, and modern co-op that combines the best of our heritage, all our people, and our expertise. Our organisation has evolved over our 100-year history. Entering this new phase of our co-op’s journey, Tirlán has ambitions for an ever-increasing role in the wider economy, the international food and nutrition sectors, and especially in rural communities across the country.
“We are so proud of our history and heritage and determined that the sense of pride and identity is always at the heart of our business. That is what Tirlán represents.”
Tirlán expects its sales revenue to be more than US$3m this year and is poised to remain one of Europe’s top milk processors, handling three billion litres of milk annually. It is also the largest buyer of Irish grains with a volume of around 270,000 tons including a portfolio of premium grains. The business exports to more than 80 countries and has a presence in the UK, France, Germany, the US, China, North Africa, and more.
In a bid to make its operations more sustainable, the co-op has signed up to the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and aims to be net-zero by 2050, with a 30% carbon emissions reduction target by 2030.