Kerrygold is the first Irish food brand to exceed a €1bn annual retail value. Each week, 7.5m packets are sold.

Kerrygold is the number two butter brand in the US and the number one butter brand in Germany, as well as being the fastest selling branded product on supermarket shelves in Germany.

The milestone was celebrated by Ornua on Tuesday of this week. Ornua is a dairy co-operative which markets and sells dairy products on behalf of its members (including Kerrygold); Ireland’s dairy processors. It is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy products, exporting to 110 countries worldwide.

Kerrygold is the second biggest butter brand in the US and the number one butter brand in Germany

“The Kerrygold brand is an amazing asset for Irish dairy farmers and its promotion of Ireland’s unique grass-fed credentials has been instrumental in enhancing Ireland’s reputation around the world as a sustainable food producer,” Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed said.

The Kerrygold brand was created by Sir Anthony O’Reilly, CEO of what was then called An Bord Bainne, in 1962.

History of Kerrygold

  • 1961: An Bord Bainne (Irish for The Irish Dairy Board) is established to “promote, facilitate, encourage, assist, coordinate and develop the exportation of milk and milk products”.
  • 1962: The Kerrygold brand name is chosen from a total of 60 suggestions (including Buttercup, Tub-o-Gold, Leprechaun, Golden Farm) and the Kerrygold brand is launched, not in Ireland, but in the UK.
  • The Irish Farmers Journal cartoon marking the launch of Kerrygold butter in October 1962.

  • 1964: Kerrygold starts exporting to many more markets overseas, such as Gibraltar, Malta, Cyprus, Middle East, Gulf States, Canary Islands, the Caribbean and Asia.
  • 1973: Kerrygold is exported to EEC member states including Germany. Today, Kerrygold is the number one butter and cheddar brand in Germany. Click here to read about Kerrygold’s success story in Germany.
  • Kerrygold butter in Germany.

  • 1973: 11 years after launching in the UK and around the globe, Kerrygold goes on sale in Ireland.
  • 1979: Kerrygold Regato Classic launches in Greece and is today number one in its category.
  • 1980: A new Kerrygold logo is unveiled.
  • 1982: Kerrygold adverts become as legendary as the butter. ‘Put a bit of butter on the spuds André’ hits television screens in Ireland.
  • 1984: Kerrygold Regato Classic airs its very own TV advert, becoming the first cheese brand to do so in Greece.
  • 1989: Kerrygold becomes a title sponsor of the Dublin Horse Show, which goes on to achieve an international audience of 200m.
  • 1991: Kerrygold milk powder launches in the Congo.
  • 1991: Kerrygold expands the range of Kerrygold cheese and butter products to the US.
  • 1994: Back on the box – one of the much-loved classics ‘Who’s taking the horse to France?’ aired.
  • 1999: Kerrygold Butter launches in the US.
  • 2005: Kerrygold gets its very own German street, renamed Kerrygoldstrasse.
  • 2009: The iconic TV ad, The Sod, airs in 2009.
  • 2010: Kerrygold launches the new logo that you see today.
  • 2013: Kerrygold becomes the title sponsor of Kerrygold Ballymaloe LitFest.
  • 2013: Kerrygold celebrates 40 years in Germany.
  • 2016: Kerrygold Park opens – the new global home for the manufacturing and packaging of Kerrygold butter products.
  • 2017: The Kerrygold ad, Memories in the Making, airs in 2017.
  • 2019: Kerrygold launches global digital campaign A True Taste of Kerrygold.
  • Read more

    Kerrygold delivers €18m to farmers

    Listen: Volume up but value down for 2018 agri-food exports

    Butter drives 2017 food exports to new highs

    Inside Kerrygold’s German success story