Pictured: Frank Ryan, CEO Enterprise Ireland, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD, Tanaiste Eamon Gilmore TD and Stan McCarthy, CEO Kerry Group

October brought us great news for the Irish economy with the historic announcement by Kerry Group that they are to invest €100million in developing a Global Technology and Innovation Centre in Kildare. The move will create of 800 permanent and 400 temporary construction jobs.

Located on a 28 acre site in the Millennium Business Park, Naas, Kerry Group’s new campus will accommodate 800 people in 2015 and a further 100 positions when fully commissioned by mid-2016.

The new Kerry Global Technology & Innovation Centre will also include Kerry Ingredients & Flavours global and EMEA regional management, 1 Kerry Global Business Services and support functions.

Food is Ireland’s number one export sector and critically important to our economy and to export-led growth.  This is the largest single investment in food innovation ever by a company in Ireland, and puts Ireland firmly at the forefront of global food innovation. The €100m investment will be part-funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through Enterprise Ireland.

The new flagship global technology and customer innovation centre will serve as a key focal point for Kerry’s customer engagement activities providing strategic customers with access to the Group’s complete breadth and depth of technologies, scientific research, innovation and applications expertise across food, beverage and pharmaceutical markets.

Welcoming the announcement, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mr Richard Bruton TD said:

“This is the largest single investment in food innovation ever by a company in Ireland, and puts Ireland firmly at the forefront of global food innovation. The fact that this is the work of an Irish company will help raise the ambitions of other Irish companies to become world-leaders in their own fields. Through implementation of the Action Plan for Jobs I am determined to continue improving supports to Irish enterprises so that we can see more businesses aiming high and creating the jobs we need”.

Commenting on the announcement Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said:

“Enterprise Ireland is proud to support this significant investment by Kerry Group.  It represents tremendous vision and determination on the part of the company’s management team to bring a project of this scale to fruition.

“The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Department of An Taoiseach and Enterprise Ireland have all worked intensively with the Kerry Group to deliver this major project for Ireland.”