Meadow Foods invests amid strong growth

The business reported pre-tax profit of £25.6m across the period, up from £22m in the previous year on a turnover of £456m, up from £427m.

Substantial growth had been achieved from an expanding portfolio of food ingredients with a number of successful new product launches and its acquisition of Roil Foods​​, the company claimed. Earnings from milk sales had been steady year-on-year.

Meadow Foods invested £6.8m in its facilities to improve efficiency and increase capacity and the company said it planned to invest more in the current financial year. ​A spokesman told Food Manufacture​: "As a direct result from having increased the size and breadth of our NPD department, Meadow Foods is subsequently investing into a diverse range of new products for both new and existing customers.​

"This is driving investment across all four sites into upgrades existing equipment and new plant and equipment. We will be following on with announcement related to these new products as they are ready to be sold into the market."​

Mark Chantler, chief executive of Meadow Foods, who is shortlisted as a finalist in Food Manufacture​'s Business Leader of The Year Award this year​, ​said: ​“These are a positive set of results, achieved in a challenging marketplace."​

Acquisition of Nimbus Foods​

"​Our growth is primarily a result of an expanded product portfolio, targeted acquisitions and improved efficiencies. This strategy for growth will continue and is reflected in our recent acquisition of Nimbus Foods​​, which has allowed us to further diversify our portfolio and cement our position as a leading supplier of value-added ingredients.”​

Meadow Foods is an award-winning company that operates from four BRC AA accredited sites in Chester, Peterborough, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor and Dolgellau. It manufactures value-added ingredients seven days a week for some of the UK’s best-known food manufacturers.

The company currently employs more than 430 people and handles in excess of 550m litres of milk each year direct from its network of dedicated milk producers across the UK.