ABP to acquire Pilgrim’s Europe’s lamb business

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European meat processor ABP has revealed plans to acquire Pilgrim’s Europe’s lamb business, including its Welsh processing facility in Llanidloes, Powys.

Pilgrim’s Europe is a leading private label supplier to UK grocery retailers, with 40 sites across the UK, Ireland, France and the Netherlands. Its meat brands include Richmond, Fridge Raiders and Denny, among others.

The site in Llanidloes focuses on producing premium Welsh lamb, located within one of the UK’s key sheep farming regions. The site’s 140 employees would transfer to ABP under TUPE arrangements, the company has confirmed.

However, Pilgrim’s Europe’s lamb retail packing operation in Andover is not included in the deal. ABP said this is due to its existing lamb deboning and retail packing capabilities across its UK network.

Pilgrim’s Europe has separately begun consultations regarding the proposed closure of the Andover site toward the end of January 2027. It aims to retain colleagues through alternative employment opportunities across its UK operations.

Ivan Siqueira, president of Pilgrim’s Europe, said: “Following a strategic review of our lamb operations, we believe ABP is the right long-term owner for the Llanidloes business”.

Siqueira said the deal will allow Pilgrim’s to focus on investing in its core poultry, pork and value-added businesses, while “providing opportunities for future growth at Llanidloes within a specialist lamb processor”.

ABP supplies fresh and frozen meat products to retailers and foodservice providers from processing sites across Ireland, the UK and affiliate sites in Belgium, Germany, The Netherlands and Poland.

Siqueira added: “We are incredibly proud of our colleagues at Llanidloes and Andover, as well as the farmers and producers who have supported the business over the years. Our priority is to support colleagues throughout this process and maintain continuity of supply and service for customers and producer partners during the transition.”

Commenting on the acquisition, ABP’s CEO, Kevin Cahill, described Llanidloes as an “excellent fit” for the company’s lamb business.

“We look forward to welcoming the Llanidloes team and working closely with the producers who supply the site, providing them with the benefits and support available through our network of more than 3,500 sheep farmers across the UK,” Cahill said.

“Welsh lamb is recognised globally for its quality, and Llanidloes provides a strong platform to serve growing demand across both domestic and international markets.”