About Us
Our Story
The Halpin Group (formally Betco Marketing Ltd.) was founded in 1991. Initially acting as Cerestar’s sole agent in Ireland. Now, with over thirty years experience,we have established ourselves firmly in the Irish starchy market. In 2002 Cerestar was acquired by Cargill. This enabled us to broaden our horizons and in 2010 we became a distributor for Cargill as well as being their agent. In 2011, Cargill acquired Royal Nedalco, as a result we began to supply alcohol (ethanol) to the pharmaceutical, beverage and industrial markets within Ireland.
In 2019, a strategic partnership was formed with Brenntag to handle the Cargill business in Ireland, specifically starchy products, ethanol, chocolate and cocoa.
Present Day
Today, whether it be a tanker load of palm oil or a 25kg bag of cocoa or indeed a full container of lecithin IBC’s, we organise it with the same skill and dedication that three decades of experience has imparted to the team in Cork. As of February 2022, we now represent Sime Darby Oils Liverpool. We historically have supplied oils from other principals but have really gotten behind the fully sustainable aspects of the Sime Darby offering. As of April 2022, we are now in a position to offer CGB Cocoa UK/ Schokinag products in Ireland. As of October 2022, we are now offering Lecithin from the Sternchemie GmbH range of Lipid Solutions.
The Halpin Group’s activities cover the whole island of Ireland,from corrugating to confectionery, from plasterboard to paracetamol tablets, from biscuits to building chemicals, The Halpin Group is active in forging a very strong position in the Irish marketplace, proving themselves and indeed any of their principals as serious players in raw material supply.
The Halpin Group have always taken a proactive approach with their customers. From our inception we adopted the motto “service a priority” and to this day it remains our guiding principle.
Meet the Team
Diarmuid Halpin – Managing Director
Diarmuid began his working career as sale representative working in Corcoran chemicals in Dublin. In 1984 a job in Wheat Industries in Cork appeared and brought him and his young family to Cork. He served as national sales manager from 1984 to 1991 when the plant closed. Its business was sold to Cerestar and this is where Betco (now The Halpin Group) began. Diarmuid started Betco along with some of the staff from wheat industries in 1991. Cerestar was then acquired by American behemoth Cargill in April 2002. Betco under Diarmuid’s leadership then doubled down during the financial crash and became a distributor for Cargill in addition to being an agent. Spotting the opportunities being missed at all the new start ups popping up during the recession. Betco remained Cargill’s sole agent and distributor on the island of Ireland up until the end of 2018. During this period Betco added significantly to its portfolio adding potable ethanol, lecithin, cocoa and chocolate. In 2019 Betco and Brenntag stuck a strategic alliance to serve the Irish market. This alliance brought Betco into its 30th year in 2021.
Ben Halpin B.sc QFA – Company Director
Ben joined Betco (now The Halpin Group) in 2013 as technical sales representative. Ben had just completed his undergraduate degree in food marketing and entrepreneurship in University College Cork. Where he undertook modules in food chemistry, food science and food microbiology but also where his keen passion for all things food and business merged. Ben’s primary role was new business development and in October 2016 he became a director of the board. Ben’s knowledge of the industry we serve goes far beyond his start date of 2013. He had to put up with hearing all about starch, glucose and everything in between across the dinner table from our managing director and Ben’s father Diarmuid. In more recent years Ben has developed a keen interest in finance in particular personal finance qualifying as a Qualified financial advisor and is currently undertaking studies to become a certified financial planner. As The Halpin Group is always looking to expand these financial skills often come in handy when negotiating with customers, suppliers or potential acquisitions.
Maureen Halpin – Chairperson
Maureen joined Betco in 2008 and then joined the board 2017 along with then Chairperson Drury Halpin. Following Drury stepping down as both a director and chairperson to explore his own business opportunities . Maureen undertook the role of chairperson on the 1st of Jan 2022 ushering in the new era of the company under its new name of The Halpin Group.
