Northern Foods
Encyclopedia
Northern Foods Ltd is a British food manufacturer headquartered in Leeds
, England. It was formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange
and was a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index
. The company was scheduled to merge with Greencore Group
in 2011 to form Essenta Foods, the group being headquartered in Dublin, and listed on the FTSE
. On 21 January 2011 Ranjit Singh Boparan
announced a bid to buy Northern Foods, which succeeded in gaining sufficient shareholder support to proceed, resulting in the appointment of Boparan as the company's Chairman in April 2011.
in 1937 as a family-run dairy business based in Holme on Spalding Moor. In 1942 the business was registered as Northern Dairies and became a public company
in 1956. In 1962 Horsley persuaded Christopher Haskins
, the future Chairman, to join the business as a condition of marrying his daughter. In 1972 the Company changed its name to Northern Foods as it diversified into general food production.
It bought Park Cake Bakeries and Oldham & Smiths Flour Mills in 1972. In 1974, Pork Farms
and Northern Foods created joint venture
company Porkdown Ltd, to supply meat products to French foods group Danone. But immediately after production started, Danone undertook a group wide-review, and on deciding to concentrate on their milk
products line, closed down the contract. The resultant losses closed Porkdown, and in 1978 led to the agreed sale of Pork Farms to Northern Foods, after the controlling Samworth family
agreed sale of their shares to the group. Then in 1977 it acquired Fox's Biscuits.
Acquisitions continued in the 1980s, under the leadership of Christopher Haskins
who became Chairman in 1980, with Dorset Chilled Foods in 1981, Bowyers
and Elkes Biscuits in 1985, Batchelors
in 1986 and Evesham Foods in 1988. In 1987 the company built the most advanced food factory in Europe, the Fenlands Food Factory in Grantham
, and dedicated it entirely to Marks & Spencer
.
In the 1990s it acquired: Palethorpes
in 1990; Park Cake Bakeries, Trafford Park Bakery, Kara Foods, Express Dairies
and Eden Vale in 1991; Mathew Walker in 1992; Vanderheul in 1993; Green Isle Foods in 1995; Cavaghan & Grey and George Payne & Co. in 1998; and Pyewipe in 1999.
In 2000 it acquired a 40% stake in Solway Foods (later increased to 100%) and R&K Wise and in 2002 it bought Lacemont and Fox's Confectionery.
Following the resignation of Chief Executive Jo Stewart in 2003, the former Shell
executive Pat O’Driscoll was appointed Chief Executive in March 2004.
The company went further with its programme of disposals in 2004 selling Emile Tissot, Eden Vale and Cavaghan & Gray Seafood.
In 2005 the corporate headquarters was moved to Leeds, while Evesham Foods and the London Road site of Cavaghan & Gray in Carlisle were both closed.
In 2006 the company announced a further radical refocus of the business, targeting disposal of its chilled distribution(NFT), flour milling (Smiths), cakes (Park Cakes), speciality bread (Fletchers) and chilled pastry businesses (Pork Farms Bowyers) ; it also closed its Green Isle Boyle site and its Trafford Park Bakery. These businesses were sold to a private equity group, Vision Capital.
Following the resignation of Pat O'Driscoll as Chief Executive in February 2007, Stefan Barden was appointed to the post. In 2007 the company acquired Ethnic Cuisine, a ready meals business producing Chinese food and based in Swansea
, Wales. This business closed down in 2010 after losing the Sainsbury's contract which accounted for 90% of its production.
In 2008 it bought the chilled soup facilities of Baxters Food Group
and closed the Fenland Foods factory in Grantham
.
In 2009 it proposed to establish a new "super" biscuit plant by combining the operations of its plants at Batley and Uttoxeter, at a new site. Discussions are underway to decide the location of this. Also in the same year Northern Foods announced it was planning to close its Hull factory which had formerly been part of Cavaghan & Gray.
In 2010 strikers at the group's Green Isle Foods pizza plant in Naas
, Ireland, indicated that they were commencing a hunger strike
and promoting a boycott
of Green Isle Foods brand products, Goodfellas Pizza and other Northern Foods products. The action was announced following a strike which began in August 2009 and the failure of Green Isle Foods to recognise the decision of the Irish Labour Court that three employees were unfairly dismissed by the company.
On 17 November 2010 the company announced it was merging with Irish ready-made meals supplier, Greencore
. According to industry web site, just-food.com, the company's shares rose more than 20% that day. The new company will be called Essenta. The new company was to be Chaired by Tony Hobson (Chair of Northern Foods & ex Non Exec at HBOS), Deputy Chair Ned Sullivan (Chair of Greencore & ex Non Exec at Allied Irish Bank) and the CEO was to be Patrick Coveney (current CEO of Greencore).
On 21 January 2011, Ranjit Singh Boparan
of 2 Sisters Food Group
announced a bid to buy Northern Foods, which succeeded in gaining sufficient shareholder support to proceed. This resulted in the appointment of Boparan as the company's Chairman in April 2011. On 13 May 2011 the company was delisted from the London Stock Exchange
.
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, England. It was formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
and was a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index
FTSE SmallCap Index
The FTSE SmallCap Index is an index of small market capitalization companies consisting of the 351st to the 619th largest listed companies on the London Stock Exchange main market...
. The company was scheduled to merge with Greencore Group
Greencore
Greencore Group plc is a food company in Ireland.It was established by the Irish Government in 1991 to take over Irish Sugar, the nationalised sugar production company. 55% of the group was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange that year, over the years additional placements have led to almost 100%...
in 2011 to form Essenta Foods, the group being headquartered in Dublin, and listed on the FTSE
FTSE
FTSE may refer to:* The FTSE Group* Stock market indices published by the FTSE Group, particularly the FTSE 100 Index on the London Stock Exchange* The Fundamental theorem of software engineering...
. On 21 January 2011 Ranjit Singh Boparan
Ranjit Singh Boparan
Ranjit Singh Boparan is a British businessman, the founder and owner of 2 Sisters Food Group with his wife Baljinder Singh Boparan. Known as the "Chicken King" in the West Midlands, he has an estimated person fortune of £190M.-Early and personal life:...
announced a bid to buy Northern Foods, which succeeded in gaining sufficient shareholder support to proceed, resulting in the appointment of Boparan as the company's Chairman in April 2011.
History
The business was founded by Alec HorsleyAlec Horsley
Alec Stewart Horsley was a leading Hull Quaker and supporter of the peace movement. He also founded Northern Foods.-Career:...
in 1937 as a family-run dairy business based in Holme on Spalding Moor. In 1942 the business was registered as Northern Dairies and became a public company
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
in 1956. In 1962 Horsley persuaded Christopher Haskins
Christopher Haskins, Baron Haskins of Skidby
Christopher Robin Haskins, Baron Haskins , is a British/Irish businessman, and former member of the British Labour Party....
, the future Chairman, to join the business as a condition of marrying his daughter. In 1972 the Company changed its name to Northern Foods as it diversified into general food production.
It bought Park Cake Bakeries and Oldham & Smiths Flour Mills in 1972. In 1974, Pork Farms
Pork Farms
Pork Farms is a Nottingham-based British producer and distributor of mainly pork-based bakery products.-History:In the early 1940s, recently City and Guilds qualified baker Ken Parr took out a £9,000 loan to set up his own pie shop...
and Northern Foods created joint venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
company Porkdown Ltd, to supply meat products to French foods group Danone. But immediately after production started, Danone undertook a group wide-review, and on deciding to concentrate on their milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
products line, closed down the contract. The resultant losses closed Porkdown, and in 1978 led to the agreed sale of Pork Farms to Northern Foods, after the controlling Samworth family
Samworth Brothers
Samworth Brothers are a Leicestershire-based food manufacturer, the owner of Cornish pasty maker Ginsters, and the largest maker of certified Melton Mowbray pork pies. It is listed at number four in The Times Top Track 250.-History:...
agreed sale of their shares to the group. Then in 1977 it acquired Fox's Biscuits.
Acquisitions continued in the 1980s, under the leadership of Christopher Haskins
Christopher Haskins, Baron Haskins of Skidby
Christopher Robin Haskins, Baron Haskins , is a British/Irish businessman, and former member of the British Labour Party....
who became Chairman in 1980, with Dorset Chilled Foods in 1981, Bowyers
Bowyers
Bowyers was a large company based in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England, based manufacturer of meat products, with a particularly well known brand of sausages which are still produced today....
and Elkes Biscuits in 1985, Batchelors
Batchelors
For unrelated subjects with similar spelling see Bachelor.Batchelors is a brand of predominantly dried food products. It was formerly a Company founded in 1895 in Sheffield, England. The company now makes instant soup, in particular Cup A Soup and noodle products such as Super Noodles. The company...
in 1986 and Evesham Foods in 1988. In 1987 the company built the most advanced food factory in Europe, the Fenlands Food Factory in Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
, and dedicated it entirely to Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer
Marks and Spencer plc is a British retailer headquartered in the City of Westminster, London, with over 700 stores in the United Kingdom and over 300 stores spread across more than 40 countries. It specialises in the selling of clothing and luxury food products...
.
In the 1990s it acquired: Palethorpes
Palethorpes
Palethorpe's is a British producer of cooked meat and pastry products and was particularly well known for its branded sausages. Founded in 1859, it was bought by the Bibby Group in 1969 and then by Haverhill Meat Products before becoming part of the Northern Foods Chilled Foods division in 1991...
in 1990; Park Cake Bakeries, Trafford Park Bakery, Kara Foods, Express Dairies
Express Dairies
Express Dairies is a subsidiary of Dairy Crest, specialising almost entirely in home deliveries of milk and other dairy products.-History:The company was founded by George Barham in 1864 as the Express County Milk Supply Company, named after the fact that they only used express trains to get their...
and Eden Vale in 1991; Mathew Walker in 1992; Vanderheul in 1993; Green Isle Foods in 1995; Cavaghan & Grey and George Payne & Co. in 1998; and Pyewipe in 1999.
In 2000 it acquired a 40% stake in Solway Foods (later increased to 100%) and R&K Wise and in 2002 it bought Lacemont and Fox's Confectionery.
Buyer to seller
Most of the purchases were made by a common practise of the time, share leverage or exchange. But in the wake of dot.com crash, the companies growth slowed and cash reserves dwindled. Resultantly, in 2002 it started a programme of disposals, selling Vanderheul, Ski and Munch Bunch in 2002 to Nestle, and Fox's Confectionery and Batchelors in 2003.Following the resignation of Chief Executive Jo Stewart in 2003, the former Shell
Royal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
executive Pat O’Driscoll was appointed Chief Executive in March 2004.
The company went further with its programme of disposals in 2004 selling Emile Tissot, Eden Vale and Cavaghan & Gray Seafood.
In 2005 the corporate headquarters was moved to Leeds, while Evesham Foods and the London Road site of Cavaghan & Gray in Carlisle were both closed.
In 2006 the company announced a further radical refocus of the business, targeting disposal of its chilled distribution(NFT), flour milling (Smiths), cakes (Park Cakes), speciality bread (Fletchers) and chilled pastry businesses (Pork Farms Bowyers) ; it also closed its Green Isle Boyle site and its Trafford Park Bakery. These businesses were sold to a private equity group, Vision Capital.
Following the resignation of Pat O'Driscoll as Chief Executive in February 2007, Stefan Barden was appointed to the post. In 2007 the company acquired Ethnic Cuisine, a ready meals business producing Chinese food and based in Swansea
Swansea
Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...
, Wales. This business closed down in 2010 after losing the Sainsbury's contract which accounted for 90% of its production.
In 2008 it bought the chilled soup facilities of Baxters Food Group
Baxters
Baxters is an international food company, based in Fochabers, Scotland. It has its roots in a grocer's shop opened by George Baxter in 1868. Baxter's shop became known for supplying pickles and preserves in the early 20th century, when George's son and daughter-in-law began preparing their own...
and closed the Fenland Foods factory in Grantham
Grantham
Grantham is a market town within the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It bestrides the East Coast Main Line railway , the historic A1 main north-south road, and the River Witham. Grantham is located approximately south of the city of Lincoln, and approximately east of Nottingham...
.
In 2009 it proposed to establish a new "super" biscuit plant by combining the operations of its plants at Batley and Uttoxeter, at a new site. Discussions are underway to decide the location of this. Also in the same year Northern Foods announced it was planning to close its Hull factory which had formerly been part of Cavaghan & Gray.
In 2010 strikers at the group's Green Isle Foods pizza plant in Naas
Naas
Naas is the county town of County Kildare in Ireland. With a population of just over twenty thousand, it is also the largest town in the county. Naas is a major commuter suburb, with many people residing there and working in Dublin...
, Ireland, indicated that they were commencing a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
and promoting a boycott
Boycott
A boycott is an act of voluntarily abstaining from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for political reasons...
of Green Isle Foods brand products, Goodfellas Pizza and other Northern Foods products. The action was announced following a strike which began in August 2009 and the failure of Green Isle Foods to recognise the decision of the Irish Labour Court that three employees were unfairly dismissed by the company.
On 17 November 2010 the company announced it was merging with Irish ready-made meals supplier, Greencore
Greencore
Greencore Group plc is a food company in Ireland.It was established by the Irish Government in 1991 to take over Irish Sugar, the nationalised sugar production company. 55% of the group was listed on the Irish Stock Exchange that year, over the years additional placements have led to almost 100%...
. According to industry web site, just-food.com, the company's shares rose more than 20% that day. The new company will be called Essenta. The new company was to be Chaired by Tony Hobson (Chair of Northern Foods & ex Non Exec at HBOS), Deputy Chair Ned Sullivan (Chair of Greencore & ex Non Exec at Allied Irish Bank) and the CEO was to be Patrick Coveney (current CEO of Greencore).
On 21 January 2011, Ranjit Singh Boparan
Ranjit Singh Boparan
Ranjit Singh Boparan is a British businessman, the founder and owner of 2 Sisters Food Group with his wife Baljinder Singh Boparan. Known as the "Chicken King" in the West Midlands, he has an estimated person fortune of £190M.-Early and personal life:...
of 2 Sisters Food Group
2 Sisters Food Group
2 Sisters Food Group is a West Bromwich, England based chicken meat processing company.Established in 1993 by Chief Executive, Ranjit Singh Boparan, as a frozen retail cutting operation, it has through acquisition expanded to cover 13 manufacturing sites in the UK, 1 in the Netherlands, and 1 in...
announced a bid to buy Northern Foods, which succeeded in gaining sufficient shareholder support to proceed. This resulted in the appointment of Boparan as the company's Chairman in April 2011. On 13 May 2011 the company was delisted from the London Stock Exchange
London Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
.
Brands
- Pizza
- Goodfella's
- San Marco
- Biscuits
- Fox's Biscuits - BatleyBatleyBatley is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It lies southeast of Bradford, southwest of Leeds and north of Dewsbury, near the M62 motorway. It has a population of 49,448 . Other nearby towns include Morley to the northeast, Ossett to the southeast...
, KirkhamKirkham-Places:* Kirkham, Lancashire, England* Kirkham, North Yorkshire, England* Kirkham, New South Wales, Australia* Kirkham , a prison in Lancashire, England-People:*Don Kirkham, American soil scientist*Frances Kirkham, British Judge...
and UttoxeterUttoxeterUttoxeter is a historic market town in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. The current population is approximately 13,711, though new developments in the town will increase this figure. Uttoxeter lies close to the River Dove and is near the cities of Stoke-on-Trent, Derby and...
- Fox's Biscuits - Batley
- Christmas puddings
- Matthew Walker - HeanorHeanorHeanor is a town in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. It is northeast of Derby. According to the census of 2001 the town's population was 22,620.-History:...
, DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
- Matthew Walker - Heanor
- Other brands
- Donegal Catch - a range of frozen fish recipes, available across Ireland
- Holland's PiesHolland's PiesHolland's Pies is a manufacturer of pies and puddings based in Baxenden, near Accrington in Lancashire, England. Owned by Northern Foods, the company also produce pasties, sausage rolls and pork pies.- History :...
- pork piePork pieA pork pie is a traditional British meat pie. It consists of roughly chopped pork and pork jelly sealed in a hot water crust pastry . It is normally eaten cold as a snack or as part of a meal.-Types:...
s
Own branded production for customers
- Ready meals - CarlisleCity of CarlisleThe City of Carlisle is a local government district of Cumbria, England, with the status of a city and non-metropolitan district. It is named after its largest settlement, Carlisle, but covers a far larger area which includes the towns of Brampton and Longtown, as well as outlying villages...
, SheffieldSheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, & GrimsbyGrimsbyGrimsby is a seaport on the Humber Estuary in Lincolnshire, England. It has been the administrative centre of the unitary authority area of North East Lincolnshire since 1996... - Packed sandwiches and salads
- Gunstones Bakery - DronfieldDronfieldDronfield is a town in North East Derbyshire in the North Midlands region of England. It comprises the three communities of Dronfield, Dronfield Woodhouse and Coal Aston. It is sited in the valley of the small River Drone, and lies between the town of Chesterfield and the city of Sheffield. The...
, DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx... - Solway Foods - WorksopWorksopWorksop is the largest town in the Bassetlaw district of Nottinghamshire, England on the River Ryton at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest. It is about east-south-east of the City of Sheffield and its population is estimated to be 39,800...
and CorbyCorbyCorby Town is a town and borough located in the county of Northamptonshire. Corby Town is 23 miles north-east of the county town, Northampton. The borough had a population of 53,174 at the 2001 Census; the town on its own accounted for 49,222 of this figure...
- Gunstones Bakery - Dronfield