Multi-disciplinary team advise on Karro sale
8th May 2017
A multi-disciplinary team at Walker Morris has advised Endless and management on the sale of one of the country’s leading suppliers of British pork, Karro Food Group, to CapVest Partners.
Endless acquired Karro in January 2013 from Dutch food conglomerate Vion and through working closely with the Karro management team the business now has a turnover in excess of £550 million and has enjoyed four consecutive years of strong profit growth under Endless’ ownership. The existing Karro management team, led by Executive Chair Di Walker, will remain in the business as part of the transaction.
The Malton-based pork supplier employs over 3,000 people, operating from seven sites across the UK and has received widespread industry recognition for its outstanding performance in recent years.
The multi-disciplinary team was led by Corporate Partner Debbie Jackson and supported by Jo Stephenson and Oliver Duke (Corporate), Michael Taylor (Banking), Andrew Rayment and Lorna Hopps (Employment), Judith Pike and Kathryn Brook (Real Estate), and James Crayton and Lee Crook (Commercial).
Aidan Robson, Partner at Endless, commented:
“Karro is another fantastic turnaround story for Endless. Over the last four years we have worked with a very talented management team, led by Di Walker, to transform what was a heavily loss making, non-core division of a European cooperative into one of the leading British pork producers.
“During this time we have invested over £45m in capital improvement projects, focused primarily on locally reared British pork and produced enough bacon for over 1 billion bacon butties. We wish Di and the management team, along with their new owners, CapVest, all the best for the future. It has been a remarkable four-year journey and Karro is a business that we are immensely proud of at Endless.”
Debbie Jackson, Partner at Walker Morris, added:
“This latest transaction is a further example of a great turnaround success for Endless and we are delighted to have been able to support our long-standing client on its sale of Karro. This transaction also reinforces Walker Morris’ ability to draw on a multi-disciplinary team with a wide range of expertise and knowledge whilst strengthening our reputation in the food and drink sector.”
