2 Sisters Food Group snaps up Vion businesses
Poultry processor 2 Sisters Food Group has expanded its portfolio with the purchase of 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 deal comprises 11 processing sites, which employ approximately 6,000 employees across Scotland, England and Wales.
The company says the acquisition will help to meet growing demand from 2 Sisters’ poultry customers and further diversify the company’s offering to include red meat which supports 2 Sisters’ strategy of serving more meal occasions.
Vion’s poultry business currently receives three million live birds per week, which are then processed into fresh chicken products.
The company also has seven of its own hatcheries and four poultry-specific feed mills.
“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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