Cranswick to acquire sausage maker Blakemans with US$42.8M investment

UK meat group buys family-run supplier for US$42.8m as part of wider strategy to grow and diversify operations

UK – Cranswick, one of the UK’s largest meat producers, is buying Staffordshire-based sausage manufacturer Blakemans for US$42.8 million (approx. £32 million).

The company, which supplies pork, poultry, and convenience meat products to major UK supermarkets, announced the acquisition as part of its annual financial results released on 20 May.

Blakemans, a long-standing family business, runs its operations from a single facility in Newcastle-under-Lyme, where around 290 employees are based.

Cranswick said the deal would increase production capacity for both raw and cooked sausages and would complement its existing gourmet meat operations.

Chief executive Adam Couch described the supplier as a leading player in the UK foodservice sausage segment and emphasised that acquisitions remain central to the group’s long-term strategy.

He explained that such purchases are key to strengthening core business areas, breaking into new sectors, or expanding into newer categories.

This transaction follows a string of recent takeovers by Cranswick, including the acquisition of JSR Genetics, a pig breeding business, and Froch Foods, a pork and poultry processor.

In addition, Cranswick entered the pet food market in 2022 with the purchase of Grove Pet Foods and added Ramona’s Kitchen and Atlantica UK to its portfolio in 2021.

Meanwhile, the company is facing scrutiny over animal welfare practices following recent undercover footage showing alleged abuse of piglets at one of its sites.

The footage, filmed by the Animal Justice Project in early May, appears to depict workers engaging in methods such as ‘piglet thumping’ at Northmoor Farm in Lincolnshire.

In response, Cranswick suspended several employees at the farm and announced plans to carry out a full investigation.

The company has now committed to an independent review of its animal welfare policies and broader livestock handling procedures across all its UK operations.

In its results for the financial year ending 29 March, Cranswick reported revenue of US$3.63 billion (approx. £2.72 billion), marking a 6.8% increase overall and 6.4% on a like-for-like basis.

Adjusted operating profit rose to US$276.6 million (approx. £206.9 million), with profit margins climbing from 7.1% to 7.6%.

Pre-tax adjusted profit also grew by 14.3% to US$264.5 million (approx. £197.9 million), while earnings per share increased by 15.6% to 273.4 pence.

Cranswick chairman Tim Smith noted that the company operated under difficult conditions, including wider economic pressures.

He also urged the UK government to create a more supportive regulatory environment to enable long-term investment and stability in the food production sector.

Revenue from fresh pork rose 4% over the year, contributing 24.2% to the company’s total income.

Poultry saw the most growth, rising 20.3% and making up 19.6% of overall revenue.

The convenience category—which includes prepared meals, charcuterie, and dips—accounted for 36.2% of total revenue, with marginal growth of 0.5%.

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