Vion sells foodservice arm to group of butchers
This is in a deal marking a key step in its withdrawal from the German market.
GERMANY – Vion Food Group has reached a principal commercial agreement to sell its foodservice business to Group of Butchers as part of its ongoing exit from Germany.
The transaction is described by Vion as the final major step in its strategic withdrawal from the German market where it has been divesting assets over time.
The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed by either party at the time of announcement.
The sale includes Vion Food Service Holding, Salomon FoodWorld, and related subsidiaries as well as production facilities located in Großostheim and Holzwickede in Germany.
The divested business supplies frozen beef, pork, and chicken products to foodservice customers across multiple markets.
The foodservice division employs approximately 650 staff across its operations in Germany.
Vion chief executive Tjarda Klimp said the transaction delivers value for Group of Butchers while supporting continued growth for Salomon FoodWorld under new ownership.
Klimp added that Vion’s strategic focus remains on Dutch livestock farmers and integrated supply chains serving Benelux, European, and export markets.
The company explained that its restructuring strategy prioritises concentrating resources on core markets where it can generate stronger long-term value.
Vion also noted that its foodservice operations, while profitable and growing, no longer align with its revised strategic focus on integrated value chains.
The divestment follows a series of recent asset sales by Vion, including the disposal of its German slaughterhouse in Buchloe to ABP Food Group.
Earlier transactions also included the sale of sites in Crailsheim and Waldkraiburg to Boeser Frischfleisch and OSI Europe Foodworks respectively.
In January, Vion permanently closed its Hilden deboning facility after regulatory barriers blocked a planned sale, affecting around 160 employees.
The company is also seeking a buyer for its Best Hides business, which operates in Germany and processes animal hides.
Industry publication Just Food reported that Group of Butchers has not yet publicly commented on the acquisition.
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