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Donegal Investment Group Plc has its roots very firmly placed in the beautiful North West of Ireland. From small beginnings in 1898 based in the Finn Valley near Killygordon, the group commenced life as a small creamery business meeting the needs of local dairy farmers. As dairying in Ireland developed, around a Co-operative structure, Donegal Creameries evolved following the amalgamation of a number of Dairy Co-ops in Donegal. In 1997 Donegal Creameries floated on the stock market in Ireland and was the first Dairy business to have 100% free float. The next few years saw the Plc diversify into many new areas including property, forestry, agribusiness, confectionery, potatoes and mushrooms. However its core business remained milk.
In 2010 the Board embarked on a strategic review of the business, with the key concern to plan where the business would be post 2015 when the EU dairy quotas which had been in place for 20 years were due to be abolished. The optimum solution for all our stakeholders was to sell our milk and agri-stores business, which was concluded in 2012. This significant change meant that although we had reduced the size of the business by over 50%, we now had the opportunity to focus in some key areas with greater potential.
In 2013 shareholders agreed to rename the business to Donegal Investment Group Plc (DIG for short). This better reflects our new business model built around Global Seed potato with investments in areas including ethnic dairy, mushrooms and farming.
Welcome to Donegal where change is a way of life.
Geoffrey Vance, Chairman, Donegal Investment Group PLC