Nestle Ireland agrees to sell Tallaght plant

Nestle Ireland has agreed to sell its Tallaght manufacturing plant and local brands produced here to Premier International Foods. It will be sold as a going concern. A spokesman said the sum involved would not be disclosed and that no turnover figures for the operation would be made available.

Nestlé Ireland employs 304 people in Dublin, of which 154 will transfer with the factory and brands being sold, including Chef, Fruitfield, Silvermints and Yorkshire Toffee.

Nestlé UK is selling its ambient food business to Premier International Foods as part of the transaction involving Tallaght. Premier International Foods is based in Cambridge, England, and sells into the British and European markets. Brands involved include Typhoo Tea, HP Beans and Cadbury's chocolate beverages.

Including the acquired business, Premier International expects sales in the Republic, the UK and Europe to total €1.6 billion. The remaining Irish Nestlé business will move to Citywest, Tallaght, where it will concentrate on its coffee and confectionery products.

Consultations with employees affected by the sale continue. The Nestlé factory in Mallow, Co Cork, where 58 people are employed, is unaffected.