Edmond Scanlon was speaking at the Food Wise 2025 conference in Croke Park on Monday where he said without a favourable trade deal between Ireland and the UK post-Brexit, there would be a negative impact on Irish agri businesses.

“From a Kerry perspective, it is a concern.

“We’re preparing for the worst, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.

“As a global business we have experience of this type of changing tariffs, mainly in parts of Asia… (and) it can be a very painful experience for business.”

Scanlon added that Kerry is “fairy well diversifed” to deal with Brexit with five facilities in Ireland, five in Northern Ireland and 20 in Britain.

Tariff woes

Those in attendance were asked to vote through an interactive poll on what they feel is the biggest threat to their business post-Brexit.

The attendees were given three options to vote and they were: uncertainty about euro-sterling exchange rates, transport delays and future tariff / non-tariff barriers to trade.

Exactly 78% of the attendees said future tariff / non-tariff barriers to trade was the biggest threat to their business with uncertainty about euro-sterling exchange rates and transport delays on 11% each.

Without a trade deal, Irish exporters would be hit with an enormous trade tariffs, as high as 80%, on the export of food to the UK.

TheIrish Farmers Journal is streamling the Food Wise 2025 conference live. You can watch it live here.

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