English Food Producer Buys Dunbia Ballymena
English food producer Cranswick announced on Wednesday, November 16, that it has acquired the whole of the issued share capital of Northern Irish pork processing company Dunbia Ballymena, which employs about 360 people.
The acquisition establishes a significant presence for Cranswick in Northern Ireland. Cranswick issued a press release stating that Jack Dobson, Executive Director of Dunbia Limited, will support Ballymena in a consultancy capacity to help ensure a smooth transition. The transaction will be funded from Cranswick’s existing debt facilities and is expected to be earnings neutral in the current financial year.
CEO of Cranswick Adam Couch said that a acquisition provided Cranswick with “greater control over our supply chain, ensuring that we can maintain the production and processing of high quality, UK farm assured, pigs. The management at Ballymena have created long lasting and sustained supply chain relationships and we look forward to building on this and continuing to invest in the facilities, and the team, over the years ahead.”
Based in Antrim, Northern Ireland, Dunbia Ballymean processes about 7,800 UK farm assured pigs each week. Its revenues in the year to 29 March 2016 were recorded as £72.4m.
