Donegal Creameries, which took a stock market listing last year, has reported a good set of interim results with sales up over 20 per cent to £30.4, million and operating profits up almost 15 per cent to £1.2 million.

Donegal's half-year results are distorted by a number of non-recurring items. The group made a profit of £362,000 on the sale of its stake in IAWS but also included a loss of £232,000 in respect of its share of the losses of Ennis Foods, the breakfast cereal company set up last year by former Golden Vale chief executive Jim O'Mahony. Including the various non-recurring items pre-tax profits were up almost 18 per cent to almost £1.8 million.