Origin Enterprises scoops UK business award

DUBLIN-BASED agribusiness Origin Enterprises has received an award in the UK.

It has been named the top Alternative Investment Market (AIM) Initial Public Offering (IPO) for 2007 at an awards ceremony in London. The company, which has seen its share price rise by 40 per cent since floating on the AIM last July, received the accolade from M&A magazine.

The company has gone into overdrive since being floated by IAWS last year, raising € 256 million for the Irish food group.

Last month, Origin announced the acquisition of agronomy specialist Masstock Group Holdings and talks with Norwegian-based Austevoll Seafood on combining the two companies' fishmeal and fish oil operations in Europe. In all, Origin has completed €100 million of acquisitions since it was spun out of IAWS.

Criteria for the award included a fair valuation being achieved for investors and performance post-IPO.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times