Farmison & Co’s site on Bondgate Green Ripon has been bought for an undisclosed sum by Febripa Holdings – part of the GPS Food Group.
The plant will now operate as ‘Ripon Foods’, according to Companies House filings.
Meanwhile, Farmison & Co’s intellectual property, website and existing contracts have been acquired by direct-to-consumer butcher, Donald Russell, according to Food Manufacture’s sister title, The Grocer.
Farmison & Co was established in 2011 by John Pallagi and Lee Simons and became a respected name in butchery, gaining quick backing from former Asda boss, Andy Bond, and winning William Reed’s Butcher’s Shop of the Year title several times.
But the North Yorkshire business hit hard times in 2023, appointing insolvency firm FRP Advisory and making double digit redundancies.
The business was sold to private investors after its collapse, led by another former Asda chief executive, Andy Clarke.
Pallagi was later awarded a hefty sum after an employment tribunal found he had been ‘unfairly dismissed’ following the takeover.
According to the Grocer, Clarke will remain will Ripon Foods, alongside Farmison CEO, Andy Adcock, and its finance director, Alan Pater.
Ken Clow, CEO of Donald Russell told the publication, the merging of Farmison with his Aberdeenshire butchery has given way to “one of the largest DTC businesses in the premium meat space”.
He also confirmed that the business will remain as Farmison, as he regards the two businesses as complementary.
“This looks a great move from the team at Donald Russell, already recognised as one of the UKs leading DTC butchers, they have bought a significant competitor and expanded their customer reach further into the premium trade market and a wider portfolio of customers,” Mark Field, CEO at Prof Consulting Ltd offered in an analysis comment to Food Manufacture.
“Owning the brand and website minimises any customer disruption and helps keep momentum. The deal should unlock supply and operational efficiencies increasingly competitiveness critical in the sector at the moment. An exciting acquisition to watch moving forward as the sector continues to grow for those consumers shopping the premium meat category.”