Butter wars come to Wexford

It was a mission behind enemy lines for Ornua CEO Conor Galvin when he attended the IFA dairy meeting on Monday night in Enniscorthy, a Tirlán stronghold.

Tirlán suppliers churned out plenty of questions, putting it to Galvin that surely there is enough room in the US market for Tirlán to compete under a cheaper own-brand butter and that if Tirlán does not fill the deal, it will be filled elsewhere and represent a missed opportunity.

However, the Kerrygold boss didn’t melt under the heat, insisting that Tirlán’s move risks undermining Kerrygold’s premium positioning, potentially putting dairy farmers’ earnings at risk in the long-term.

The butter wars look set to rumble on, with dairy farmers hoping they won’t be spread too thin.