Thousands of jobs are secured as food firm 2Sisters in takeover
Black Country-based food group 2 Sisters has swooped in a multi-million pound takeover for a major meat processing group, securing the future of 6,000 jobs in the UK.
The future of staff at VION's poultry and red meat operations at 11 sites, mostly in Scotland and Wales, has been secured by the deal after the company's Dutch owners revealed they were pulling out of the UK. Ministers in Scotland and Wales today hailed the deal as securing the future for the worried workforce.
It makes West Bromwich-based 2 Sisters – started 30 years go as a small frozen chicken business by Ranjit Singh Boparan and his wife Baljinder – a major force in the UK food industry with 24,000 workers, most of whom are based in the UK.
The takeover comes days after 2 Sisters announced it was creating another 500 jobs in the Black Country following a surge of orders. It currently has 1,200 people at its plants in West Bromwich, Smethwick and Wolverhampton.
Mr Boparan, 2 Sisters' chief executive, said: "We are delighted to be acquiring VION UK's poultry and red meat businesses.
"They have faced significant uncertainty and tough trading in recent months, but today's acquisition secures a viable future.
"With the majority of the operations being in Scotland and Wales, we are delighted that the Scottish and Welsh governments are supportive of this deal, and we look forward to working with them and developing a sustainable future for these businesses.
"This acquisition will safeguard a key supply chain for high-quality British poultry and meat, offering reassurance to farmers in England, Scotland and Wales and upholding the quality and provenance that UK customers and consumers deserve."
VION's Dutch parent said in November that it planned to pull out of the UK, where its operations had lost a number of major contracts.
Welsh Business Minister Edwina Hart said: "I welcome today's announcement that 2 Sisters is to acquire VION's poultry and red meat businesses, which safeguards the future of their operations in Wales."
John Swinney, Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government, said: "My officials and I look forward to working with 2 Sisters over the coming months, in order to secure a sustainable future for VION and its plants in Scotland."
