Nenagh Co-op celebrates its centenary with book launch

Nenagh-based Arrabawn Creamery has marked its centenary with the publication of a book detailing its founding to the present day. The book by local journalist Martin Ryan, is titled The Story of Arrabawn Co-op and also marks the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Mid West Creameries in County Galway in 1963. It was launched by Junior Minister for Agriculture Tom Hayes.

Nenagh Co-op was founded in 1913 and amalgamated with Mid West Co-op in 2001 to form Arrabawn Co-operative Society Ltd.

The history records the growth of the co-op from its beginnings as a creamery in Nenagh to a business that now has a turnover of €185m and 300 staff and serves farmers and consumers in Tipperary and Galway, plus parts of Limerick, Clare, Offaly and Westmeath.

It also relates the individual stories of the people who were involved in its development into one of the most successful co-operatives in Ireland.

Patrick Meskell, chairman, said the co-op had come a long way from the seeds planted by the founders who had the vision of generating the maximum return for their labours by controlling operations outside the farm gate and who started off by setting up local creameries.

“This history acknowledges their work, records their achievements and expresses our gratitude for all they succeeded in doing. The people who came after them had to nurture those seeds until they took root and began to grow into the enterprise we have now. However, we are not resting on our laurels. We plan to grow and develop even more, particularly given the opportunities presented by the abolition of milk quotas, for which we are investing €20m and expanding our processing capacity by up to 50 per cent”, he said.

Junior Minister for Transport Alan Kelly presented Green Belt Certificates for Lean Thinking to 12 members of Arrabawn staff who completed a training course in manufacturing management techniques.

Mr Ryan, from Newport, has been an agricultural journalist for 40 years and contributes regularly to the Farming Independent and the Irish Examiner as well as broadcasting on national and local radio stations. He is also a former Agricultural Editor of the Limerick Leader.

The book will be available in bookshops, at €20, or from Arrabawn Co-op, Nenagh.