Company Watch: Greencore adopting upbeat stance despite shares slump from pandemic

Chief executive Patrick Coveney was upfront about the need to strengthen a highly leveraged position, but the food group has seen strong sales recovery since April

Patrick Coveney, chief executive of Greencore, said the group had good momentum with new business in the first half of the year despite a slump in shares. Picture: Fergal Phillips

The stock response from most corporate chief executives, when asked about their acquisition pipeline, is to say their company is always looking for opportunities as long as the targeted company is the right fit.

In contrast, Patrick Coveney, the chief executive of Greencore, was upfront in his assessment last week when asked if the convenience food firm would be looking for acquisition opportunities as the British economy begins to reopen and government Covid-19 supports are ...