AJ Allan potato businesses acquired by IPM

AJ Allan announces that the business of A.J. Allan has been acquired by Irish Potato Marketing Ltd (IPM). The business comprises two companies: A.J. Allan (Brechin) Limited and A.J. Allan (Potato Merchants) Limited.

IPM is a leading player in the seed potato industry with a portfolio of over 25 exclusive proprietary varieties which are sold in more than 30 markets worldwide. IPM has been trading for over 50 years and is a subsidiary company of Donegal Creameries Plc.

A.J. Allan has been in the ownership of the Allan family for 50 years and IPM is pleased to add such a distinguished company to its business portfolio.

IPM is keen to build on the strengths of A.J. Allan in growing quality seed potatoes and, in that regard, A.J. Allan will enhance IPM’s ability to meet the growing demand for its exclusive varieties.

Scottish seed potato production currently enjoys a very strong reputation with global customers and the combination of IPM and A.J. Allan certainly has an optimistic future in meeting a growing customer demand for improved varieties and efficiently-produced quality certified seed.

IPM is the largest exporter of proprietary seed potatoes from Scotland and also has seed production operations in Ireland, Holland, France, Denmark and Brazil. Its Scottish office is in Letham and the sales operation is co-ordinated from the Head Office in Dublin.

Mr. Alistair Melrose and his team will continue to manage the business as usual under the A.J. Allan brand.

David Allan, the retiring Chairman and former principal shareholder, confirming the sale of a hundred per cent of the share capital of the two Companies to IPM, said “While the severing of the family tie with the business clearly creates mixed emotions, I am delighted that the Companies and the brand name will continue within the Donegal Group. To have found a buyer as committed to seed potato production as we have been and with a desire to preserve and develop the brand has been a distinct bonus.”

“A.J. Allan as a business entity was founded by my father the late A.J. Allan some fifty years ago and has been a substantial employer in the Brechin area ever since. From the mid 1990s onwards the Company has been expanded hugely in terms of turnover, customer base and capacity and the linkage with a company such as IPM has the potential to propel both organisations to another level. I wish to take this opportunity to convey my thanks to my Managing Director, Mr. Alistair Melrose, and all our staff for their loyalty and commitment over the years and I wish them well in the future as part of the Donegal Group.”