2 Sisters buys Vion’s red meat and poultry sites
Poultry processor 2 Sisters Food Group has bought Vion UK’s red meat and poultry businesses.
The businesses have been up for sale since November 2012, when Dutch-owned Vion announced plans to exit the UK meat processing industry.
The company’s pork business was bought in a management buyout, backed by private equity firm Endless and led by former managing director of the Pork enterprise Seamus Carr, in December 2012.
The latest deal, involving 2 Sisters, comprises 11 processing sites, which employ approximately 6,000 employees across Scotland, England and Wales.
“We are delighted to be acquiring Vion UK’s poultry and red meat businesses,” said 2 Sisters Food Group chief executive Ranjit Singh.
“They have faced significant uncertainty and tough trading in recent months, but today’s (Monday 4 March) acquisition secures a viable future.”
The deal would safeguard a key supply chain for British poultry and meat, offering reassurance to farmer in England, Scotland and Wales, he said.
“These businesses will help us to shorten the supply chain for consumers and meet growing demand for British sourced food. Our immediate focus will be to improve performance, as we have successfully done with our previous acquisitions.”
The sites acquired by 2 Sisters Food Group are:
VION UK poultry
- Scotland – Coupar Angus and Cambuslang
- Wales – Llangefni and Sandycroft
- England – Basildon, Witham and Eye
VION UK red meat
- Scotland – McIntosh Donald at Portlethen
- Wales – St Merryn Foods at Merthyr
- England – St Merryn Foods at Victoria and Bodmin
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