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06 Sept 2025
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06 Sept 2025
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Irish Pride workers in Ballinrobe are concerned for their jobs following the sale of the company’s debt last week
Workers face anxious wait as Irish Pride debt sold
Ciara Galvin
WORKERS at Irish Pride’s Ballinrobe site are still concerned for their jobs following the takeover of the company’s debt.
The Gores Group, which owns British bread company Hovis, has taken over the debt of Irish Pride and has replaced receivers.
Last week The Mayo News revealed that workers in the company’s Ballinrobe base had been handed letters informing them that the company was to go into receivership imminently.
However, since the receivers were appointed, the private equity firm, Gores Group, bought loans secured on the Irish Pride business from original lender, Close Brothers.
The Hovis owner has since replaced original receivers, Declan Taite and Pearse Farrell of Duff and Phelps, and replaced them with Kieran Wallace of KPMG.
Speculation is now mounting about the owners of Britain’s third biggest bread producer taking over the company and potentially saving the 340 jobs between the Ballinrobe site and its sister plant in Taghmon, Wexford.
It is understood that there is a number of parties interested in buying the company which is the country’s second biggest bakery. It is understood that no deal to buy the business has been agreed as of yet.
However, some employees at the Ballinrobe plant are said to ‘concerned’ for their jobs even if the company is sold.
The Mayo News has learned that some workers fear that production could be transferred to the Wexford site following the company’s sale as it is believed that this plant is ‘newer’ and ‘capable of faster production’.
Some Irish Pride employees are also speculating that a prospective owner could reduce the two shifts currently in operation at the site to just one daily shift, which could result in the loss of jobs.
One51 sold Irish Pride for a reported €6 million early last year to WHW Bakeries, controlled by Dublin-based investors Garret and William Lloyd.
Workers at the Ballinrobe factory are expected to be updated on events in the coming days.
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