The Italian leading dairy company Granarolo acquired Midland Food Group through its subsidiary Granarolo UK. Midland is an important British distributor of food products, which has been operating in foodservice and organized distribution for over 40 years. With an expected turnover of around 70 million euros and 244 employees, Midland Food Group distributes many products and serves thousands of customers through two owned warehouses in Willenhall (20 km from Birmingham) – where it produces and packages high-quality delicatessen – and in Basingstoke (80 km from London), a strategic hub for distribution in the City and in southern England. The dairy sector accounts for around 30% of Midland Group revenues. In addition to producing pies and sandwiches, the company also distributes frozen products, beverages, condiments, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, and pasta. Midland Food Group also operates through the iDeli e-commerce portal, and manages logistics and deliveries with a fleet of vehicles of all sizes for refrigerated, frozen, and ambient products.
Next goals
With the acquisition of Midland, England becomes the third country for Granarolo in terms of turnover – after Italy and France. The goal is to reach 100 million euros, equaling the outstanding performance of Granarolo France. The Granarolo plant in Saint Omer (northern France, near the Eurotunnel) will play an increasingly strategic role considering the distribution capacity growth in Great Britain. With the acquisition of Midland Food Group – states Gianpiero Calzolari, President of Granarolo – our goal is to play an even more significant role in the constantly growing British market, where in 2016 we obtained around 100 billion euros revenues. Granarolo UK, which now accounts for over 22 million revenues with Made in Italy products (fresh and aged cheeses, pasta and bakery, balsamic vinegar etc.), can now count on two logistics centers and a structured and efficient distribution system. Moreover, we should consider the development of the sales channel for foodservice, which is very significant and constantly growing. Looking ahead, we also want to expand the e-commerce channel already activated by Midland.
