Glens of Antrim Potatoes Ltd, the company behind the Glens of Antrim crisp brand stocked by Tesco and Sainsbury's, has entered administration and ceased trading after 54 years in business. The firm, founded in 1972, supplied potatoes to retailers across the UK and Ireland before launching its own crisp brand in 2015. The business, based in Cushendall and Ballymena, has stopped producing snacks.
Joint Administrators Appointed
Stuart Irwin, Ian Leonard, and Robin Coughlin of Interpath were appointed as joint administrators on September 21. Mr Irwin, who is also managing director at Interpath, said: "Glens of Antrim has been growing and supplying potatoes across Ireland for over 50 years, so this is a tremendously sad outcome for the business, its dedicated team, the agri- food sector in Northern Ireland, and the wider community in Ballymena and Cushendall."
Glens of Antrim employed 95 staff, though the majority have now been made redundant, with only a handful kept to help with the administration process.
Cash Flow Difficulties Cited
The reason behind the company's downfall is escalating costs across the agri-food sector, which places enormous pressure on businesses throughout the supply chain. Consequently, Glens of Antrim encountered severe cash flow difficulties and was forced to shut down. The directors examined various options including refinancing and attracting fresh investment, but none were successful.
The administrators are now looking for interest in the business and its assets, urging any prospective buyers or parties keen on acquiring the company to get in touch with them straight away.
Another Recent Administration
However, this isn't the only firm to have entered administration lately. True Brit Entertainment, a leading UK film distributor, also recently fell into administration following three years of trading. The business specialised in securing UK rights for major cinema releases, including the recently launched Hugh Jackman film, The Death of Robin Hood.
Founded by film executive Zygi Kamasa in 2023, the company helped co-finance and produce numerous British film and television projects. It was confirmed at the end of September that the firm had been placed in administration, with administrators appointed to the company earlier last week, pointing to "extremely challenging market conditions".
