VION to Sell UK Food Operations
Dutch-based food producer VION is to sell its UK food businesses to concentrate on its core markets in the Netherlands and Germany and the development of its global ingredients business. VION UK produces and processes beef, lamb, pork, bacon and chicken in addition to convenience products such as sausages, cooked meats and added value cooked chicken across its 38 sites in Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland. The group’s extensive facilities across the UK range from farms and hatcheries to primary production, processing and packing.
VION is confident that it will successfully sell its UK pork, red meat and poultry business units as ongoing viable businesses.
Peter Barr, chairman of VION UK, comments: “Working with our advisors Rabobank/Rothschild, we have already started detailed discussions with a number of interested parties, including management, regarding the acquisition of the various parts of the UK business and these are progressing well. The level of interest in the businesses has been strong and we hope to be in a position in the near future to give further details about the progress which has been made. The sale process will be completed in a smooth and orderly fashion to ensure business continuity for our employees, agricultural and other suppliers and our customers.”
VION entered the UK in the late 1990’s with the acquisition of Key Country Foods, followed by Tranfield and subsequently Grampian Country Food Group in 2008 and currently employs 13,000 people in the UK. The company supplies beef, lamb, pork and chicken products to a broad range of blue-chip customers across the food retailing, food manufacturing and food service sectors.
In addition to its food activities in the UK, VION is also divesting a number of non-core activities, including Banner Pharmacaps and Oerlemans Foods (frozen vegetable and potato products).
Based at Eindhoven in the Netherlands, VION has a turnover of Eur9.5 billion and employs 26,500 people. VION is not a listed company and has one shareholder, the Dutch Zuidelijke Land-en Tuinbouw organisatie (ZLTO), an agricultural and horticultural association with some 18,000 members.
