Agriculture features strongly on Rich List with interesting new entries

AgriLand noted with interest the agricultural representatives on The Sunday Times Rich List, which was published on Sunday.

New entries to the list include Michael Burke of pharmaceutical company Channelle; Emmet and Simon Sheridan who own Barclays Chemicals; and Liam and Kathleen Quinn, owners of Quinns of Baltinglass.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that the Goodman family are third on the list. Larry, Kitty, Laurence and Mark Goodman were valued at €3.213 billion. This is an increase of €758 million from last year. Most well-known for the ABP food group, the Goodman’s also have investments in property and healthcare.

Who else made the cut?

At number seven on the list were Deirdre and Mark Lyons. The mother and son team own and run Alltech which is valued at €1.8 billion.

Many of the agricultural-based entries are associated with the meat industry.

Bert and Maurice Allen of Slaney Meats are at number 48; the Keating family who own Kepak at 69; and Jack and Jim Dobson of Dunbia were at 82.

W&R Barnett and family moved up two places on the list from last year to make spot number 51 at €341 million.

The commodity trading business is said to be one of Northern Ireland’s biggest businesses. Many in the south will have heard of R&H Hall, which is jointly owned by W&R Barnett and Origin Enterprises.

Eugene Lannon, who came in at number 162 on the list, owns and runs Western Brand, which is Ireland’s largest family-owned poultry and egg producer with plants in counties Mayo and Fermanagh.

At 179 is Michael Burke and his daughter and son-in-law Chanelle and Tony McCoy. Michael started the pharmaceutical company Channelle in 1978.

Caroline, Joe and David Keeling came in at 201 on the list with €96 million. Keelings is famous for its soft fruit and has also purchased a farm in Costa Rica which produces more than 24 million pineapples per year.

Also at 201 on the list are Edward, Sarah and David Gleeson who import chicken and duck products through their company Food-Bridge.

Emmet and Simon Sheridan of Barclay Chemicals are a new entry to the list and came in at number 211 at €92 million. Barclays supplies chemicals for use in agriculture such as fungicides and herbicides. A large part of the company’s business is in the amenity sector.

Ray Coyle, who is the owner of Tayto Park, came in at 256 on the list at €75 million – a new entry.

Also at 256 on the list are Noel McDonald and Donata Berger who own and run Windmill organics. The company supplies vegetarian and vegan food. The company is based in Surrey.

Finally, at 290 on the list are Liam and Kathleen Quinn who own Quinns of Baltinglass. Many AgriLand readers will be familiar with the agricultural store and grain buyer. The business is now valued at €66 million. Quinns is a new entry to the Rich List for 2020.

There are also plenty of names from the equine industry, among them are John Magnier and JP McManus at 14 and 15 on the list, while some have already been mentioned above such as the Allens and the McCoys.