ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2019 Grocery Contents Strategic report 1 Financial headlines 2 Our businesses at a glance Read more 4 Chairman’s statement page 12 6 Chief Executive’s statement 8 Group business model and strategy 10 Key performance indicators 12 Operating review 12 Grocery Sugar 22 Sugar 30 Agriculture 34 Ingredients 40 Retail 50 Financial review 53 Responsibility 62 Principal risks and uncertainties 67 Viability statement Governance Read more 68 Board of directors page 22 70 Corporate governance 83 Remuneration report 107 Directors’ report 110 Statement of directors’ responsibilities Agriculture 111 I ndependent auditor’s report Financial statements 119 Consolidated income statement 120 Consolidated statement of comprehensive income 121 Consolidated balance sheet 122 Consolidated cash flow statement 123 Consolidated statement of changes in equity 124 Significant accounting policies Read more 131 Accounting estimates page 30 and judgements 132 Notes forming part of the financial statements 176 Company financial statements Ingredients 183 Progress report 184 Company directory Read more page 34 Retail Read more page 00 Read more page 40 Well-loved ABOUT household brands ASSOCIATED 9/10 BRITISH UK households use FOODS our brands Our purpose is to provide safe, nutritious, affordable food and clothing that is great value for money. A leader in our markets Grocery Retail Our grocery brands occupy leading Primark is the largest clothing, positions in markets across the footwear and accessories globe. In the UK, nine out of ten retailer in the UK, and also has a households use our brands. significant store portfolio in ten European countries and in the US. Sugar AB Sugar is one of the largest sugar producers in the world. Illovo is the largest sugar producer in Africa and British Sugar is the sole processor of the UK sugar beet crop. Agriculture AB Agri is the UK’s largest agri-food company and a leader in nutrition, science and technological innovation in animal feed. Ingredients Our Ingredients business is a leader in yeast, bakery ingredients and specialty ingredients for the food, feed and pharmaceutical industries. Read more page 2 Acting responsibly A global presence Respecting everyone’s dignity 52 countries operated Acting with integrity in worldwide Progressing through collaboration Pursuing with rigour Read more about our values and how we make a difference in our 2019 Responsibility Report www.abf.co.uk/responsibility An entrepreneurial spirit 138,000 people worldwide Read more about our people www.abf.co.uk/responsibility Strategic report Associated British FINANCIAL Foods is a diversifi ed HEADLINES international food, ingredients and retail group with sales of £15.8bn, 138,000 employees and Group revenue operations in 52 £15.8bn countries across Actual +2% Europe, southern Constant currency: +2% Africa, the Americas, Adjusted operating profit Adjusted profit before tax Asia and Australia. £1,421m £1,406m Actual +1% Up 2% Constant currency: +1% Adjusted earnings per share Dividends per share 137.5p 46.35p Up 2% Up 3% Gross investment Net cash £837m £936m Operating profit Profit before tax £1,282m £1,173m Down 5% Down 8% Basic earnings per share 111.1p Down 13% Review of the year online: www.abf.co.uk/ar2019 Adjusted operating profit is stated before the amortisation of non-operating intangibles, profits less losses on disposal of non-current assets, transaction costs, amortisation of acquired inventory fair value adjustments and exceptional items. These items, together with profits less losses on the sale and closure of businesses, are excluded from adjusted profit before tax and adjusted earnings per share. References to operating profit in the Operating review are based on this adjusted operating profit measure. Constant currency figures are derived by translating the 2018 results at 2019 average exchange rates, except for countries where consumer price inflation has escalated to extreme levels, in which case actual rates are used. References to underlying profit for Twinings Ovaltine and Grocery exclude a £12m charge in 2019 in respect of the closure of the Twinings tea factory in Jinqiao, China. Annual Report and Accounts 2019 Associated British Foods plc 1 Our businesses at a glance A DIVERSE GROUP OF BUSINESSES Grocery 100 Twinings and Ovaltine Household food enjoyed in over 100 countries brands enjoyed all over the world 16,000 employees Read more page 12 Sugar 24 plants worldwide A world-leading sugar business focused on excellence 34,000 employees Read more page 22 Agriculture 65 countries worldwide Products and services for the agri-food industry 3,000 employees Read more page 30 Ingredients 52 plants in production Yeast, bakery and for AB Mauri specialty ingredients supplied globally 7,000 employees Read more page 34 Retail 373 stores Quality fashion at value-for-money prices 78,000 employees Read more page 40 2 Associated British Foods plc Annual Report and Accounts 2019 Strategic report Revenue Twinings and Ovaltine The Americas Twinings and Ovaltine are our leading In the US, Mazola is the leader in corn oil global hot beverage brands enjoyed in and we sell a range of baking brands £3,521m over 100 countries. through retail and foodservice channels. 2018: £3,420m Capullo is a premium canola oil in Mexico. Europe and international Our portfolio includes Mazzetti Australia Adjusted operating profit balsamic vinegars, Jordans and Dorset Ham, bacon and smallgoods under the cereals, Ryvita, Kingsmill, Patak’s and Don and KRC brands. Tip Top Bakeries £380m Blue Dragon, Silver Spoon and produce a range of well-known breads 2018: £335m Billington’s sugars. and baked goods. Yumi’s produces hommus, vegetable dips and snacks. Revenue Europe Southern Africa Our UK beet sugar factories typically Illovo is Africa’s largest sugar producer produce well over 1 million tonnes of with agricultural and production facilities £1,608m sugar annually. Azucarera in Spain in six countries. Typical annual sugar 2018: £1,730m produces beet sugar from three factories production is 1.7 million tonnes. and also refines sugar from cane raws. China Adjusted operating profit We operate two beet sugar factories in the north east of China, with annual £26m sugar production capacity of over 2018: £123m 180,000 tonnes. Revenue AB Agri It supplies compound animal feed, feed AB Agri produces animal feed, nutrition- enzymes, specialised feed ingredients £1,385m and technology-based products and and a range of value-add services to services for the agri-food industry. It farmers, feed and food manufacturers, 2018: £1,350m operates all along the food, drink and processors and retailers. It also buys biofuel industry supply chains. grain from farmers and supplies crop Adjusted operating profit inputs through its joint venture arable £42m operation, Frontier Agriculture. 2018: £59m Revenue Yeast and bakery ingredients Specialty ingredients AB Mauri operates globally in yeast and ABF Ingredients produces value-added bakery ingredients production, supplying products and services for food and £1,515m industrial and artisanal bakers and the non-food applications. 2018: £1,459m foodservice and wholesale channels. It is It manufactures and markets enzymes, a technology leader in bread improvers, specialty lipids, yeast extracts, extruded dough conditioners and bakery mixes. Adjusted operating profit ingredients, pharmaceutical excipients and antacids worldwide with £136m manufacturing facilities in Europe, 2018: £143m America and India. Revenue Primark Buying and merchandising teams in Primark is a major retail group operating Dublin (Republic of Ireland) travel stores in the UK, Republic of Ireland, internationally to source and buy fashion £7,792m Spain, Portugal, Germany, the items that best reflect each season’s key 2018: £7,477m Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, France, fashion trends. Primark’s range includes Italy, Slovenia and the US. womenswear, lingerie, childrenswear, menswear, footwear, accessories, Adjusted operating profit It offers customers quality, up-to-the- hosiery, beauty and homeware. £913m minute fashion at value-for-money prices. 2018: £843m Annual Report and Accounts 2019 Associated British Foods plc 3 Chairman’s statement The resilience of the group was demonstrated this year. Michael McLintock Chairman It is a testament to the schemes between the 2017 and 2018 of sugar and the end of the EU sugar year ends. The group’s adjusted regime. Following the subsequent breadth of the group effective tax rate of 21.5% was in line reduction in EU sugar supply, sugar that profi t growth was with last year. Adjusted earnings per prices have increased and we look share increased by 2% to 137.5p. forward to a material increase in our achieved in a year Sugar profit in the coming year. This year Primark celebrated the 50th where the effects of a anniversary of the opening of its first We continued to invest for the long store, and I am pleased to report another term, with a gross investment of radical change in the year of strong progress and notable £837m comprising capital expenditure European sugar market achievements. The expansion in selling of £737m and acquisitions of £100m. space included Birmingham High Street, The capital expenditure for Primark fully impacted our a showcase for our entire product range was driven by investment in selling and innovative in-store experiences, and space expansion, supply chain and businesses. our first move into eastern Europe with infrastructure. Investments in our food the opening of a store