Yorkshire goats’ milk dairy is acquired

YORKSHIRE based leader in the goats’ milk market, St Helen’s Farm, has been acquired by manufacturer Kavli.

The St Helen’s Farm dairy, at Seaton Ross in the Vale of York, has 40 employees and produces goats’ milk, cheese, cream, butter, yogurts and ice-cream to supply supermarkets across the country.

Kavli UK employs 190 people across two manufacturing sites, one based at Team Valley in Gateshead and the other at Kirkcudbright in south-west Scotland, making a range of food products. The acquisition represents a major step forward for the Norwegian-owned Kavli group, significantly expanding its presence in the UK dairy market and boosting Kavli UK turnover to more than £40m.

Paul R Lewney, managing director of Kavli UK, said: “We believe Kavli and St Helen’s Farm are a good business fit in terms of customers and markets and are also well-aligned in terms of culture and values.

“This acquisition is a major step forward for our business and demonstrates the confidence that the Kavli group has in the UK and as part of on-going strategy we will continue to look for opportunities that build our position in added value sectors of the dairy market in the future.”

KPMG supported Kavli on the transaction. Partner, Chris Stott, said: “We are very pleased to have advised the UK Kavli team on their acquisition of St Helen’s Farm, as they pursue a growth strategy focused on a diversification of products and brands within the dairy sector.

“St Helen’s Farm is a very complementary purchase for Kavli. It operates in a growing niche part of the dairy industry, with goat’s milk product sales benefiting from a rising number of consumers seeking healthy, natural alternatives to traditional dairy products. In turn, the St Helens Farm brand stands to receive a boost as part of the Kavli group, which can help support further growth through its comprehensive relationships with major retailers and other customers.” 

Hull and York commercial law firm Rollits provided corporate finance and legal advice to St Helen’s Farm on the sale. York and Selby accountants JWP Careers, provided tax, accountancy and corporate finance advice.