Veterinary group’s acquisition creates £50m turnover operation

Leeds-based veterinary group, Eville & Jones, (E&J) has completed the acquisition of the Vorenta Group.

Vorenta includes HallMark Veterinary and Compliance Services, and Meat and Livestock Commercial Services Ltd (MLCSL).

Under the expanded Eville & Jones Group umbrella, the acquisition will accelerate E&Js growth, expanding operations into Scotland, building on its existing service offerings, and broadening its range of service offerings for both existing and new customers.

The combined group will have a team of about 1,200 people based throughout the UK and a turnover of more than £50m. E&J’s head office in Leeds will become the group’s head office and national training centre.

Group CEO, Charles Hartwell, said: “Vorenta and E&J are natural partners with shared ambitions and values.

“This merger accelerates our growth plans and enables us to expand our service offering to both our existing and future customers while providing opportunities for our people.”

David Peace, chair of Vorenta, said: “Both E&J and Vorenta have built a reputation for delivering quality, value-adding solutions to the food industry.

“As part of the expanded E&J group, we will be able to focus our resources to reach and serve more customers and give our people a wider spectrum of opportunity.

“I very much look forward to joining the E&J Board, in addition to continuing as the managing director of MLCSL.”

Vorenta was advised by Lexington Corporate Finance.

Thomas Edwards, director at Lexington Corporate Finance, said: “This is a strategic acquisition for Eville & Jones and an important transaction for the sector as a whole, following the introduction of export health certifications following Brexit.

“Vorenta has been a client of Lexington for over five years so it is great to have now advised them on this sale, following work on acquisition and fundraising activity in recent years.”

E&J’s core business is the provision of Official Veterinarians and Meat Hygiene Inspectors to undertake Official Controls, and the delivering of Export Health Certification services to exporters of Products of Animal Origin (POAO).

Vorenta’s core business is the provision of carcass classification services to the meat industry, the deployment of veterinarians under contract to various government departments and delivering both Portal Inspection and Export Health Certification services relating to POAO.