Pig farming business snapped up by food producer

A pig farming and rearing business which operates at various sites across the Midlands has been snapped up by major UK food producer Cranswick.

Packington Pork specialises in the production of British free range and outdoor bred pigs at its sites in Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. The £30m-turnover family business is headquartered in Burton-upon-Trent and was founded more than 80 years ago.

Yorkshire-based Cranswick will secure direct control over a significant part of its supply chain for premium pigs as a result of the deal.

The transaction does not include the Packington Free Range business, which will be retained by owners the Mercer family as a standalone business operating under the Packington brand.

Adam Couch, chief executive of Cranswick, said: “I am delighted to announce the acquisition of the premium pig farming business, Packington Pork Limited. This acquisition strengthens our existing farming operations and reinforces our commitment to supporting and growing the British pig farming industry. It also aligns to our strategy of enhanced transparency and provenance of our food from farm to fork. We have worked closely with the business for over 14 years. We welcome the existing farm management team and look forward to investing in and developing the business over the coming years.”