Business Weekly - Cambridge, UK

Dutch meat processor, Vion, has acquired Grampian Country Foods for an undisclosed sum.

Grampian has East of England interests that include a vacant poultry site in Attleborough, Norfolk, and a sausage products subsidiary at Eye in Suffolk.

Vion says the deal strengthens its UK position where it has thriving operations in a number of markets, including sausage, fresh pork and bacon arenas.

Vion chairman Daan van Doorn said the combined group would become a major player in the UK food industry.

Grampian closed its loss-making poultry factory in Norfolk earlier this year with the loss of 300 jobs and there are no plans to re-open the plant. Grampian retains ownership of the site.

It is understood that Grampian will be integrated into a new division called VION UK headed by new chief executive, Ton Christiaanse. Peter Barr, formerly chairman of the UK’s Meat and Livestock Commission, will serve as the company’s non-executive chairman.

VION has a single shareholder, the ZLTO, the Dutch Southern Agricultural and Horticultural Farmers’ Union. Grampian Country Food Group was founded in Scotland in 1980 and has grown to £1.8 billion turnover with almost 20,000 staff worldwide.

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