Birketts advises Suffolk poultry brand on sale to LDC International
The deal marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between LDC and the Buchanan family, strengthening European giant LDC’s presence in the UK poultry market. The fee has not been disclosed.
Green Label Holdings Ltd, headquartered in Woodbridge in Suffolk, produces and supplies duck, turkey, and poultry specialties in the UK. The new partnership supports LDC’s international growth strategy, complementing its Welsh subsidiary and European imports, and enabling a broader offering to UK customers. The transaction completed on 1 December 2025.
Birketts advised on all legal aspects of the transaction, drawing on expertise from across the firm in corporate, real estate, agriculture and estates, tax, employee incentives, employment, banking, planning and environmental, private client, regulatory, and immigration matters.
The team was led by Alexandra Nelson and Ed Savory, with support from Emma Bysouth, Sarah Pearce, Lucy Easey, Chloe Rose-Leeks, Ieva Grakulskyte, Rebecca Bond, Andrea Baillis, Luke Gower, Jack Royall, Leo McMahon, Michael Playford, Mary Podd, Karl Pocock, Ryan Smith, Lisa Hayward, Olivia Sherman, Catherine Johnson, Rebecca Hughes, Mark Gipson, Devreaux Gravell, Gavin Williams, Tom Newcombe, Nicola Gooch, Edd Long, Karen Luxton-Walsh, Paul Thompson, Lorna Spear, Matthew Gowen, and Sacha Wooldridge.
Geoff Buchanan, speaking on behalf of the family, said: “I would like to record my thanks to you all as our core advisors for supporting William and I (and the Gressingham team) through this transaction. We are so pleased to have Birketts and Spayne Lindsay as our advisers and you have done an amazing job for us.
“It’s been a long process with much complexity but we have felt well advised and we have been able to close on a great deal for me and William personally and for the GLH business going forward.”
Alexandra Nelson, Partner in the corporate team at Birketts, added: “It has been a pleasure working with Green Label and the Buchanan family over a number of years and a privilege to advise on this landmark transaction. We wish the parties all success in their next chapter.”
Ed Savory, Partner and Head of Food & Beverages at Birketts, says: “The Gressingham brand is a household name, and this deal ensures its continued success under a collaborative approach. This partnership represents a significant step for Green Label and Birketts’ involvements demonstrates our ability to deliver complex corporate transactions in the UK’s food and beverage sector.”
Philippe Gelin, Chief Executive Officer of LDC said: “It is a pleasure to welcome such talented and dedicated colleagues to the LDC family as we join forces. The BUCHANAN family, the Company, and LDC share strong, aligned values, and we are excited about the opportunities this will create for consumers, customers, and our farming partners. This transaction marks an exciting new chapter for all our stakeholders in UK.”
Other advisers to the Buchanan family included:
• Corporate Finance: Spayne Lindsay - Paul Satchell, Jadon Buckeridge, Harriet Cory-Wright.
• Accountancy & Tax: Larking Gowen – Charlie Savory, Dominic Carter, Sally Farrow, Ben Greves.
• SPA Advisory: Grant Thornton – Nathan Young, Patrick O’Brien.
Granarolo UK expansion
Birketts also recently advised Granarolo UK Limited on its acquisition of West Horsley Dairy Limited. Birketts advised on all legal aspects of the transaction and managed the process through to a successful completion.
West Horsley Dairy Limited is a distributor of dairy products (milk, cream, cheese, yoghurt) and breakfast products. The acquisition strengthens Granarolo's existing footprint in the United Kingdom and is specifically aimed at boosting customer reach, particularly across the London market. Its 2026-2029 strategic plan prioritises internationalisation, with a particular focus on the European target markets of the UK and Germany. In the UK, Granarolo now accounts for 12.8 per cent of Italian dairy exports.
"Consolidation in the UK is an important part of the Group's growth policy abroad," said Gianpiero Calzolari, Chairman of parent company Granarolo S.p.A. "The plan is to significantly increase the volume of Italian dairy products in the UK, focusing on the Horeca and food service markets in London, where West Horsley has consolidated its presence."
The Birketts team advising Granarolo was led by Alex Forwood (Partner, Corporate), supported by Sam Varney (Associate, Corporate), Caitlin Sparrow (Solicitor, Corporate), Alex Bennett (Legal Executive, Corporate), Alex Elliott (Associate, Employment), Jasmin Sandhu (Solicitor, Employment), Joey U (Associate, Commercial Real Estate), Matthew Grindley (Senior Associate, Commercial Real Estate), Nicholas West (Senior Associate, Employment), Rebecca Utton (Associate, Regulatory and Corporate Defence), Robbie Watson (Senior Associate, Tax), Taaher Robbani (Solicitor, Commercial and Technology) and Tess Bryson (Solicitor, Corporate Tax).
Alex Forwood said: “We are delighted to have supported Granarolo UK Limited on this important transaction. The deal reflects Granarolo’s continued commitment to expanding its footprint in the UK market, and it was a pleasure to work closely with their team to ensure a smooth and efficient completion. The transaction demonstrates Birketts’ in depth knowledge and breadth of experience in advising businesses in the Food & Beverages Sector.”
