Kerry Group has reported a year of strong market outperformance in its 2025 preliminary results, delivering Group revenue of €6.8 billion and volume growth of 3.0%.
The performance was underpinned by a strategic evolution of the business, with growth primarily fuelled by high levels of innovation in the foodservice channel and a significant step-up in nutritional renovation for retail partners.
The Group’s volume growth of 3.0% was achieved against a backdrop of soft overall consumer demand and macroeconomic uncertainty. Despite these headwinds, Kerry expanded its EBITDA margin by 80 basis points to 17.9%, reaching an EBITDA of €1,208 million. This margin expansion was attributed to the successful execution of the “Accelerate” operational excellence programme, portfolio optimisation, and a favourable product mix.
CEO Edmond Scanlon highlighted the company’s resilient positioning: “We delivered another year of strong end market volume outperformance and margin expansion, supporting high-single-digit constant currency adjusted earnings per share growth. Volume growth was driven by a strong performance in the Americas throughout the year, led by foodservice innovation and increased nutritional renovation across a broad range of customers”.
Innovation activity was central to Kerry’s ability to outpace the broader food and beverage market. In the foodservice channel, which saw volume growth of 4.6%, the company capitalised on new menu items and seasonal launches for quick-service and fast-casual restaurants.
Simultaneously, the retail channel benefited from a surge in nutritional renovation. Customers increasingly sought Kerry’s expertise to enhance product nutritional profiles, achieve cleaner labels, and find solutions for supply-constrained raw materials. The company’s Tastesense salt and sugar reduction technologies, along with taste solutions for high-protein applications, were key drivers of this demand.
Kerry continued to “strategically evolve” its business by investing €314 million in research and development. Major strategic milestones in 2025 included:
Biotechnology leadership: opening a new Biotechnology Centre in Leipzig, Germany, and expanding enzyme capacity in Cork, Ireland.Emerging market footprint: establishing new manufacturing facilities in Egypt and Rwanda, alongside capacity expansions in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.Innovation centres: strengthening the customer innovation network with new centres in Frankfurt, Dubai, and South Jakarta.
The Group made significant strides in its “Beyond the Horizon” sustainability strategy, increasing its nutritional reach to 1.46 billion consumers globally. On the environmental front, Kerry achieved a 52% reduction in Scope 1 & 2 carbon emissions and a 54% reduction in food waste across its operations.
Looking ahead to 2026, Kerry expects to deliver constant currency adjusted earnings per share growth of 6% to 10%. Scanlon concluded: “Kerry remains well positioned for strong market outperformance, supporting our customers as their innovation and renovation partner”.
