Pilgrim’s Europe invests £350K in pork innovation centre
The meat manufacturer has opened a centre of excellence for pork at its Bromborough site.
Investments
£5 million debt drives food firm closure
An East Kilbride food wholesaler Enterprise Foods Limited has collapsed with 71 people losing their jobs.
Danone to buy Huel
The global food and beverage company has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Huel.
Unilever confirms Foods merger talks with McCormick
Unilever in talks with McCormick over potential Foods separation, raising fresh questions about the future of some of its best‑known brands
Ferrero’s Bold Snacks deal signals strategy shift
Ferrero’s Bold Snacks acquisition hints at where industry is headed
Puratos acquires Dawn Foods
Bakery, patisserie and chocolate ingredients specialist Puratos has acquired baking manufacturer Dawn Foods.
Nestlé set to offload Blue Bottle in strategy shake‑up
Blue Bottle’s future hangs in the balance as Nestlé moves to streamline under New CEO
Pars Foods to open new factory after runaway success of ‘Pie Sports’ brand
Scottish pie maker Pars Foods has announced the opening of a new 14,500 sq. ft production facility to meet ‘growing demand’ for its Pie Sports brand.
Ulrick & Short opens new 25,000 sq ft facility
The new facility provides a dedicated space for allergen-free blending, warehousing, quality control lab, sample room, development kitchen, as well as office space.
Inside BrewDog’s downfall
Following a long-winded downturn of events, with the departure of both founders, closures, and mounting debt, BrewDog was sold earlier this week for just £33 million. Food Manufacture examines what led to its collapse.
McDonald’s opens Darlington distribution site creating over 200 jobs
US fast food powerhouse McDonald’s has opened a new 138,000 sq ft distribution centre to drive efficiency and sustainability.
Free-from brand Pri Bakes sold
Voracio Foods has acquired the vegan and gluten-free snacking brand for an undisclosed sum.
Brewdog sold for £33M, with over 480 to lose jobs
Cannabis and wellness giant Tilray Brands has purchased Brewdog following a period of financial strain for the Scottish drinks firm.
Pilgrim’s Europe buys pig genetics firm
Pilgrim’s Europe acquires Hermitage AI, a global supplier of pig breeding stock and genetic services.
Ribena owner to invest £25M into ‘cutting edge’ new tech at Gloucestershire site
International drinks giant Suntory is set to invest £25 million into a new manufacturing line at its Coleford factory in Gloucestershire.
Arla to invest €300M into new Swedish cheese site
Arla Foods has announced its largest-ever investment into a new Swedish cheese dairy, committing approximately €300 million and opening up new jobs in the area.
Double pour: Why did AG Barr snap up Fentimans and Frobishers?
Earlier this month, AG Barr purchased two adult soft drinks brands for a combined total of £51 million. But what’s driven the double acquisition?
IMCD acquires Willows Ingredients to expand UK & Ireland footprint
Speciality chemicals and ingredients firm IMCD is set to acquire Willows Ingredients in a bid to strengthen its UK and Ireland presence.
Kerry Group’s revenue dips to £5.9BN as profit falls
Irish food manufacturer Kerry Group has posted mixed preliminary results for FY 2025, seeing a 2.5% drop on year-on-year revenue.
Morrisons pledges £1.6BN to support UK farming in 2026
Supermarket chain Morrisons has committed to investing over £1.6 billion into the British agricultural and food production industry in 2026.
2 Sisters owner acquires German turkey and chicken processor
The Boparan Private Office has acquired Heidemark as the business looks to enhance its automation, innovation, productivity, and sustainability.
£115M comeback sees Welsh bakery create 700 jobs post-fire
After a fire left Jones Village Bakery’s Wrexham Industrial Estate HQ in cinders, the business’ newly built state-of-the-art bakery is almost ready to start production.
Devon-based meat business makes seven figure investment into new site
Edenmoor – previously known as Pipers Farm – has invested an undisclosed seven figure sum into a bespoke production facility as the meat business looks to scale.
£3M granola factory opens in Hampshire
The owners of Boka Food Limited have opened a new 12,500 sq ft British granola manufacturing facility in Winchester.
Aldi to pump extra £300M into UK operations in 2026
Discounter Aldi is set to invest over £300 million in upgrading and extending its existing UK stores throughout 2026.
£3M awarded to precision breeding project to save waning UK tomato sector
A group made up of industry stakeholders and research partners has received government funding aimed at revitalising the UK’s dwindling tomato industry.
AG Barr snaps up Fentimans and Frobishers for £51M
The IRN-BRU manufacturer has acquired soft drinks and mixers brand, Fentimans, alongside Frobishers Juices Ltd, the premium natural fruit juices and soft drinks brand.
UK flavour house invests £10M into new site
Independent flavour company, I.T.S, has announced plans for a major expansion as it looks to build one of the UK’s largest natural flavour manufacturing sites.
The Tofoo Co acquires German plant-based producer
The UK organic tofu brand backed by Comitis Capital is set to acquire German organic plant-based manufacturer, Topas GmbH.
Diageo completes sale of its coffee-cream liqueur brand
Last year saw the international drinks company agreeing the sale of Sheridan’s to Casa Redondo for an undisclosed sum.
Mars invests £1.2M into Birstall R&D hub
The manufacturing giant has announced a major investment at its research and development hub at Birstall to drive cutting edge pet care innovation.
UK M&A activity trends
M&A activity in the UK remained resilient despite testing times, data collated by corporate finance house Oghma Partners reveals.
Tetra Pak to invest over £50 million to drive new packaging tech
Tetra Pak is set to invest over £50 million into a new pilot plant to speed up paper-based barrier technology development.
Virtual reality innovation suite set to open at JPL Flavours’ £11M site
The flavour company made a hefty investment into a new innovation and manufacturing site amid several senior appointments, as it looks to drive a ‘tech-enabled’ future.
Greencore completes £1.2BN Bakkavor acquisition
The deal makes Greencore the UK market leader across five own-label categories: sandwiches, ready meals, salads, pizzas and desserts.
Coca-Cola shelves plans to sell Costa Coffee after receiving disappointing offers
Beverage giant Coca-Cola is reportedly set to abandon plans to sell its Costa Coffee chain after bids from private equity firms failed to meet expectations.
Lidl rings in 2026 with 19 new store openings creating over 600 jobs
The discounter is set to kick off the new year with a slew of store openings across the country, creating more than 600 jobs.
Apetito completes pie site deconstruction
The meals producer has dismantled a set of older buildings, with materials on-site to be used to build a new regenerative food manufacturing plant.
Waitrose to create more than 500 jobs with new Bristol hub
Premium grocer Waitrose is set to open a new warehouse in Bristol, creating around 550 jobs for local people.
Newly Weds Foods acquires Lincolnshire’s JDM Food Group
Newly Weds Foods has acquired UK-based sauce and food ingredients manufacturer JDM Food Group.
Budweiser owner reacquires 49.9% stake in its US metal container plants for $3BN
Drinks giant AB InBev has exercised its right to repurchase a minority stake in the plants from a consortium of institutional investors.
NewPrinces completes €124.3M baby food acquisition
The Princes Group parent company has completed the acquisition from The Kraft Heinz Company of several baby food brands and its Italian-based production site.
10 major food and drink M&A deals for 2025
2025 has seen its fair share of big-name mergers and acquisitions involving the likes of Arla Foods, Hovis and Premier Foods.
CMA clears £1.2BN Greencore-Bakkavor deal
Greencore’s acquisition of Bakkavor is set to complete on 16 January 2026 following the Competition Markets Authority (CMA) accepting its move to sell its Bristol soups and sauces plant as a sufficient remedy.
Key F&B investments of 2025
Food Manufacture charts 10 major investment projects rolled out in 2025 within food and drink production.
Hilltop makes major line investment
The independent honey brand has added new capacity and capability into its Newton site in Wales, with lines for pie fillings, meat accompaniment, sauces, condiments and peanut butter now in place.
Aldi to open five new stores in 24 hours
The discounter will open five new stores in 24 hours, as part its nationwide expansion plans.
Lynas Foodservice acquires JB Foods in strategy for Scottish growth
Lynas Foodservice has acquired Edinburgh-based JB Foods in a strategic move that will strengthen its service and supply network for Scottish caterers.
Hero unveils new leadership team for Deliciously Ella
Hero UK&I has revealed its leadership team following the purchase of UK food manufacturer Deliciously Ella.
Beacon Foods invests £230k in packaging capability
Beacon Foods, the UK ingredients ready-to-eat products specialist, has boosted its sachet packing capability by investing c.£230k in new machinery to meet the growing demand for larger orders.