Glens of Antrim Potatoes, a Northern Ireland potato grower and packer founded in 1972, has entered administration after rising costs and cashflow pressures left it without a solvent option.

Stuart Irwin, Ian Leonard and Robin Coughlin of the advisory firm Interpath were appointed joint administrators on Monday 21 September. The business, which grew and packed potatoes for major supermarkets and grocery chains across Ireland and made the Glens of Antrim Crisps range, operated from sites in Cushendall and Ballymena and employed 95 people.

The administrators said sustained cost pressures across the agri-food supply chain had strained the company's cashflow, and its directors had explored refinancing and new investment without finding a viable solvent solution. The business stopped trading when administrators were appointed and most staff were made redundant, with a few kept on to support the process.

"This is a tremendously sad outcome for the business, its dedicated team, the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland, and the wider community in Ballymena and Cushendall," said Irwin.

The administrators said it was too soon to say how many unsecured creditors there were or how much was owed, and invited potential buyers of the business and its assets to come forward. The closure raises questions for the growers and other suppliers who were part of its supply chain for more than half a century.

The Ulster Farmers' Union said it was saddened by the news and described a significant loss for Northern Ireland's agri-food sector, felt by staff, growers and businesses across the local supply chain, urging anyone who needs help to contact the charity Rural Support.

Photo: Eric Jones / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Source: Farmers Weekly