Brett Brothers, the animal feed manufacturer based in Callan, Co Kilkenny, recorded bumper profits in 2018. Accounts recently filed with the companies office (CRO) show Brett Brothers Limited made pre-tax profits of just under €2.7m for its 2018 financial year. This is up almost 74% on the previous financial year.

Operating profits for 2018 increased by more than two-thirds (+70%) to a little over €2.7m, as operating profit margins widened from 3.9% to a very healthy 4.9%. During 2018, when Ireland was hit by a fodder crisis in the spring and a severe drought in the summer, Brett Brothers saw its sales of animal feed increase by more than a third (+34%) year on year to reach €55.5m.

The net asset value of the business increased to €23.6m last year. The company had cash reserves of just under €2m at year end 2018.

In a given year, Brett’s purchase anywhere in the region of 40,000t to 50,000t of wheat, barley and oats from local tillage farmers, which it uses to manufacture in excess of 120,000t of animal feed.