Mr Garry Weston, the former chairman of Associated British Foods and Fortnum & Mason, died yesterday aged 74.

In Ireland, Associated British Foods is best known as the former owners of the Quinnsworth supermarket chain, which was sold to Tesco five years for €800 million. ABF's only remaining Irish asset is the Penneys drapery chain. His brother Galen is the owner of Brown Thomas. the department store chain.

Mr Weston, whose father Garfield Weston founded AB Foods in 1937, had fought against continuing ill health since suffering a stroke in September 1999.

Canadian-born Mr Weston, who was born on April 28 1927, the fourth of nine children, served on the board of AB Foods for 51 years and became chairman in 1967. He was appointed a director of Fortnum's in 1951 and became chairman in 1978. It was announced in May 2000 that Mr Weston would step down from his positions at the firms.

At AB Foods, he was credited with turning the firm from a company involved in a wide spread of unrelated activities and in a weak financial state with a high level of debt, into a focused group.

When he took on the role of chairman, the business was engaged in everything from baking and bird seed supply, to light bulbs and hospital beds.

The group now focuses on brands such as Allinson and Kingsmill bread, Ryvita crispbread and Twinings teas. It also has the British Sugar subsidiary which makes Silver Spoon, as well as operating the Primark clothing store chain, which includes Pennys.

Mr Mr Harry Bailey, the current chairman of ABF said: "His record of success has been well documented such that by the time of his retirement ABF was recognised as one of the most solidly financed FTSE 100 companies," he said.

"In creating wealth for his shareholders, Garry Weston also created one of the largest charitable foundations in the UK. He was, mostly anonymously, the benefactor of countless good causes, throughout the country, ploughing back into its people and its fabric a great proportion of the wealth earned from his enterprise."

Two sons continue his name at AB Foods - George Weston is deputy chairman, and Garth runs Ryvita, while his eldest daughter Jana Khayat is chairman at Fortnums.In total, the Weston family has a 54.4% holding in the company, which is held through an investment trust. - ( PA)