June 18, 2008

Dutch meat company Vion has signed an agreement to acquire Grampian, one of the UK's largest food companies.

Vion will further intensify the cooperation with their retail clients by investing in Grampian, sharing knowledge and developing partnerships alongside the Grampian management, according to Daan van Doorn, chairman of the Vion Board of Management.

Grampian, which will be integrated into the new Vion division, Vion UK, was forced into a sale as it was unable to pay off several debts. Brazil's Sadia and US private equity firm CCMP were known to be eager suitors but Vion has beaten them to it.

Vion is an international food company that consists of three divisions - Ingredients, Fresh Meat and Convenience. Based in the Netherlands, Vion has an annual turnover of more than EUR 7.1 billion (US$11 billion).

Grampian Country Food Group Ltd is one of the UK's leading food companies, supplying the major multiples with chicken, pork, beef and mutton. The company has an annual turnover of GBP 1.7 billion (US$3.3 billion) and has production locations in the UK and Thailand, with its head office based in Livingston, Scotland.