Greencore has confirmed that it recently received a number of unsolicited approaches for its malt business from international companies with large-scale malting businesses.
The company said that these approaches are being explored, but it added that at this state there can be no certainty a deal will be reached.
Greencore has a malting business operating in Ireland, the UK and Belgium. It is Europe's third-largest malting company producing over 500,000 tonnes of malt annually.
Media reports today suggested that Greencore had been approached by French Soufflet Group in a deal worth €120m.
The reports said the deal could have major implications for Irish farmers who produce 150,000 tonnes of malting barley annually if the French group decided to source its barley in Europe instead.
