KERRY Foods has confirmed its status as Ireland’s most valuable brand.
An annual survey of the world’s 500 most valuable brands published this week by Brand Finance, the world’s leading valuation consultancy, confirms the Irish food group has moved up the rankings.
Kerry holds the distinction of being the only Irish brand listed in the Global 500. Next Tuesday its parent, Kerry Group, is due to publish preliminary results for 2009, when it is expected to report higher earnings and improved margins.
Retail giant Wal-mart, whose brand value increased 2% this year, has retained its position as the most valuable brand in the world.
Google has risen in the table from number five to number two, while Coca-Cola extended its advantage over main rival Pepsi.
Technology groups are also among the Top 10, with IBM at number 4, Microsoft at 5 and HP at 9.
GE and Toyota complete the top 10. Suffering most were non-essential sectors like airlines and retail.
Of the Top Five airline brands, only Singapore Airlines, which came out top in that sector, climbed the table. The biggest airline dippers were Japan Airlines, American Airlines and British Airways, down 181, 169 and 117 places, respectively. In the retail sector with the exception of Wal-mart, the picture remains "grim", the report said. The only other retailers to climb in the top 10 retail brands were the Wal-mart owned ASDA, up from 107 to 80; H&M, which rose from 146 to 93 and Home Depot, which is up from 24 to 21.
McDonald’s remains the second most valuable retail brand, despite slipping from number 12 to number 17 in the Global 500.
Tesco, listed in the food rather than the retail sector, saw its value rise by 26%.
Of the new brands, the BlackBerry appears in the Global 500 for the first time, while Apple has climbed from number 27 to 19 with a 45% increase in its brand value.
