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Irish food giant Kerry Group to suspend operations in Russia and Belarus

The company, which employs 250 people in Russia and Belarus, said it is “horrified” by the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

FOOD INGREDIENTS GIANT Kerry Group says it is suspending all operations in Russia and Belarus in response to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

The Dublin and London-listed company — which employs roughly 250 people in Russia and Belarus  — said it has taken the decision following extensive consultation with stakeholders.

“Kerry Group has continuously monitored the unfolding situation in Ukraine and we are horrified at the escalation of the humanitarian crisis,” the company said in a regulatory statement to the London Stock Exchange.

“Over the last number of weeks, the group has scaled back activities in Russia and Belarus.

“Following extensive ongoing consultation with stakeholders, the group announces today that it is suspending its operations in Russia and Belarus.

The statement added, “This suspension will be managed in an orderly manner, during which the company will continue to pay employees and fulfil our legal obligations.”

Kerry, one of the last Irish companies to continue operating in Russia following the invasion of Ukraine, had faced pressure in recent days to withdraw from the country.

Last week, Ireland South Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher wrote to Kerry Group chief executive Edmond Scanlon, urging the company to follow other Irish multinationals — like CRH and Smurfit Kappa — and withdraw from the Russian market.

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    Mute Albert Brennerman
    Favourite Albert Brennerman
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:04 PM

    About…F…T. Perhaps also some Food Aid for being sooooo Late.

    456
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    Mute Shane McGrath
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:25 PM

    What took so long? Public pressure, not ethics….

    380
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    Mute Diarmuid Hehir
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:21 PM

    What took so long. ? .

    334
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    Mute
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:54 PM

    @Diarmuid Hehir: money plain and simple and the level of exposure

    205
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    Mute John Flood
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:27 PM

    We’ll see how they brag about their “corporate governance” in the next annual report.

    209
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    Mute Steve
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:43 PM

    Apart from taking so long, their statement looks like it was crafted by the Politburo – “the situation in Ukraine” and “the humanitarian crisis” – not the WAR, the invasion of a sovereign nation by Russia, or the indiscriminate murder & rape of civilians by the Russian military

    299
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    Mute ☀David Grogan✈
    Favourite ☀David Grogan✈
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    Apr 4th 2022, 4:30 PM

    Took them long enough. And their statement is lacklustre at best. I never thought an Irish comoany could be so shameful. I’ve always been a big supporter of their products. But that has changed now. They should have withdrawn sooner.

    184
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    Mute shligo boyzz
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:27 PM

    Why are they still going to pay the employees cut all money to Russia.

    107
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    Mute Brian Burns
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:33 PM

    @shligo boyzz: because they probably have families and it ain’t there fault what Putin does in Ukraine

    158
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    Mute Rochelle
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:46 PM

    @shligo boyzz: because it’s performative much like McDonalds and other western companies who’ve pulled out. A temporary PR move which they expect to reverse in a month or two, none of them are actually scaling back Russian investment in any sort of meaningful long term way which is why there isn’t any sort of great panic about the sanctions in Russia.

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    Mute Con Cussed
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    Apr 4th 2022, 4:53 PM

    @Rochelle: That’s not necessarily true. A number of companies have announced that they are stopping investment, amongst them Nestle. So there are companies who are willing to stop investment in Russia but it will go elsewhere instead.

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    Mute shligo boyzz
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    Apr 4th 2022, 6:33 PM

    @Brian Burns: the more I look into it I see that the every day Russian is supporting putin with his war.

    19
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    Mute Ixtrix Net
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    Apr 5th 2022, 2:57 AM

    @shligo boyzz:
    if look further it’s because they can get 15 years in jail if call it an ‘invasion’ rather than a ‘special operation’
    Apart from how locked down their news is with propaganda.

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    Mute Brian Haines
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    Apr 4th 2022, 6:13 PM

    Typical sleeveen-ery from Kerry group.

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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Apr 4th 2022, 5:13 PM

    Why are they still paying the employees? Put them on the local dole and have Putin pay their wages/unemployment

    64
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    Mute Dave Hammond
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    Apr 4th 2022, 7:23 PM

    any word on airport daa moscow business operations which were substantial but seemingly all kept very quiet these days ? any chance some journalist questions clarity on
    a position ?

    34
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    Mute Leonard Barry
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    Apr 4th 2022, 9:00 PM

    @Dave Hammond: No chance Dave, we don’t do journalism very well in this country.

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    Mute Tony Stanley
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    Apr 4th 2022, 11:00 PM

    @Dave Hammond: Aer Rianta International withdrew from the Russian market years ago.

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    Mute Michael Rossney
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:42 PM

    Well done. I’ll skip from Tesco butter to Kerry butter as a result

    32
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    Mute Ixtrix Net
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    Apr 4th 2022, 3:55 PM

    Are they going to pay their workers in the places cease operating in?

    16
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    Mute Jonathan O'Riordan
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    Apr 4th 2022, 6:12 PM

    @Ixtrix Net: apparently so instead of paying their Irish employees more to take account of inflation

    27
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