Fitness supplements helps profits soar at Kildare-based company

Kildare-based company Glanbia has posted sizeable profits once again this year, but it is the nutritional supplements arm of the manufacturer that is becoming increasingly important to their revenue.

Global Performance Nutrition, which is part of the Glanbia chain, have recorded profits amounting to €81.7 million in the first six months of this year, which is an increase of 35%.

GPN is the number world's largest performance nutrition portfolio, and popular brands such as BSN, Optimum Nutrition and Isopure are among the well known names in the fitness industry that are manufactured by GPN.

The nutritional arm of Glanbia is now their most profitable area as they made made earnings of €58 million before interest tax in the first six months of 2016, while Dairy Ireland- another branch of Glanbia that provides milk and other dairy products- took in just €17.7 million before tax, despite a 1.1% increase in profits.

"Sales of performance nutrition brands and value-added nutritional ingredients showed good growth in the first half of 2016 delivering on our vision to be a leading nutrition business," said Glanbia managing director Siobhán Talbot

"Global dairy markets remain weak and continue to be a challenge for parts of the business, however the diversity of the Glanbia portfolio has enabled us to navigate this and we reiterate guidance for the full year of adjusted earnings per share growth of 8pc to 10pc on a constant currency basis," she concluded.

Glanbia run a large manufacturing plant in Ballitore where there are currently 55 staff employed, though there were a number of redundancies made to the workforce earlier this year.