Dairy company Ehrmann has expanded in the UK with the acquisition of Trewithen Dairy. The move – the latest in Ehrmann’s over 100-year history – sees two family-owned businesses come together to bring a new portfolio of dairy products to UK consumers. Ehrmann will expand Trewithen’s facilities to open a state-of-the-art UK production plant at the site in Glynn Valley, Cornwall. Expected to open in 2026, Ehrmann pudding products distributed in the UK will be produced at the facility; expected to account for 15% of Ehrmann’s global sales each year. With a guiding principle of ‘from the family, for the family’, the Cornish dairy plant will start producing the full range of Ehrmann dessert products, such as High Protein and Grand Dessert. Ehrmann dairy products are sold in over 75 countries around the world, from 7 international production sites and 9 international sales offices; generating over 1.1 billion euros each year. In addition to its long term commitment to grow sales of Trewithen’s portfolio of branded and own-label Cornish dairy products, Ehrmann will also make a significant £20 million investment in the dairy’s processing capacity and capabilities. Christian Ehrmann, Chairman of Ehrmann SE. said: “Ehrmann has enjoyed success in the UK over the last two years working with major supermarket chains to bring new dairy tastes to consumers. “The acquisition is highly significant as it opens up local UK production; enabling us to reduce the carbon footprint and guarantee the freshness of our products. Choosing Trewithen’s impressively high-quality Cornish milk production, we’re delighted to bring German product innovation together with the very best of British milk.” Ehrmann’s acquisition of Trewithen will bring together the leadership teams of both family businesses. Trewithen Dairy at Greymare Farm in the Glynn Valley has been owned by the Clarke family since 1976. The dairy farmers switched to crafting dairy products there in 1994, sourcing milk, cream and, more recently, butter and yoghurt from local cows to sell across the UK. “We’re incredibly proud of our roots in quality pastures and cows that produce some of the best milk in the world,” says Francis Clarke, Owner of Trewithen Dairy. “Quality and sustainable growth are core values we share deeply with our new colleagues at Ehrmann. That’s why we decided to join forces to breathe fresh air into the Cornish dairy industry as we enter our next phase of expansion.” The acquisition will secure the jobs of over 260 people currently working at Trewithen Dairy, and moving forward, will lead to the creation of many new high skilled roles for the local Cornish economy. In addition, the expansion of the production plant will give dairy farmers in the region a major, stable purchaser for Cornwall’s milk supply, paying a competitive milk price based upon a guaranteed premium. Paul Berne, CEO of Trewithen Dairy, adds: “We’re delighted that we’re able to expand our offering, create more jobs in the local economy, and further bring the joy of quality Cornish produce to more tastebuds across the UK. The new products are already proven in other markets, so it’s great to be producing them with excellent British milk to be enjoyed by more British tastebuds.” Since 2022 Ehrmann has been selling a range of products in the UK through major supermarkets Aldi, Morrisons, Iceland and more recently, COOP. As Ehrmann’s UK-produced range expands, the dairy foods producer will increase the distribution of its products in the UK.

Cereal innovator Silvery Tweed Cereals has invested further in its Berwick-upon-Tweed factory. The addition of a new sieve at the start of the company’s allergen-free seed-cleaning line will improve the overall efficacy and efficiency of the entire line as well as enhancing and improving the high standards of seed cleaning. Silvery Tweed Cereals Managing Director, Robert Gladstone, said: “We identified this investment opportunity through our ongoing analysis of contaminants as we endeavour to supply best-in-class products to customers. Our standards are already high, but we are always seeking to raise the bar through innovation and investment. “As our procurement base evolves, the new sieve means that we can handle seeds and grains from wider sources and different origins while continuing to offer our customers the high standard of product they expect from us.” This latest addition follows a £600k investment in 2022 which saw Silvery Tweed install a new line to create a dedicated allergen-free seed cleaning plant. This allowed an even wider range of ingredients to be processed for customers as well as shortening the supply chain from field to fork by reducing the need to transport uncleaned seeds to a specialist facility. Silvery Tweed Cereals manufactures a variety of cereal and bakery products, ranging from the straightforward – cereal flakes, grain and multi-seed blends, flour – to the unusual, with bespoke products such as puffed grains and granola clusters supplied to many of the UK’s top cereal and bakery brands.

Supreme plc, a manufacturer, supplier, and brand owner of fast-moving consumer goods, has acquired Clearly Drinks Limited. This strategic acquisition broadens Supreme’s product range, bringing non-vape annualised sales to over £100 million (£250 million including the Group’s Vaping division). Clearly Drinks, a Sunderland-based company, is a well-known UK manufacturer of canned and bottled-at-source spring water and soft drinks. Established in 1885, the business supplies around 70 customers nationwide, including major UK retailers such as Waitrose, Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Farm Foods. In addition to its own brands, Clearly Drinks also provides private and own-label beverages for supermarkets and discounters and serves as a contract manufacturer for some of the world’s largest soft drinks companies. Clearly Drinks’ brand portfolio includes Perfectly Clear, Northumbria Spring, and Revolution Waves, offering a diverse range of products such as still and sparkling spring water, energy drinks, isotonic vitamin drinks, flavoured spring water, juices, coffee-based beverages, and mixers and tonics. The company operates from a 150,000 sq ft freehold site with three onsite natural spring water boreholes, capable of accessing up to 300 million litres of fresh spring water annually. Their fully automated facility includes a new can line with the capacity to produce 350 million canned drinks per year and capabilities for packaging in glass or PET bottles. Supreme PLC, based in Manchester, sees this acquisition as a significant component of its broader diversification strategy. Sandy Chadha, CEO of Supreme, said: “We are delighted to be acquiring Clearly, a high-quality manufacturer and brand owner of soft drinks. “Our enlarged business is gaining not only a strong additional pillar that aligns with our Vaping, Lighting, Batteries, and Sports Nutrition & Wellness categories but also a significant opportunity to develop and capitalise on the further cross and upsell opportunities facilitated by our trusted reputation across the UK retail space.” For the year ended 31 December 2023, Clearly Drinks reported (unaudited) revenue of £22.4 million and Adjusted EBITDA of £3.0 million, with further growth anticipated for the year ending 31 December 2024. Supreme has acquired 100% of the share capital of Acorn Topco Limited, the parent company of Clearly Drinks, on a cash-free, debt-free basis from NorthEdge Capital LLP for a total net cash consideration of £15 million, funded from the company’s free cash. Clearly Drinks will continue to operate from its Sunderland site, maintaining access to the onsite boreholes, independent of Supreme’s other manufacturing operations. Mick Howard, CEO of Clearly Drinks Limited, said: “This is a very exciting time for the business and the team and brings lots of new opportunities as Clearly Drinks looks forward to the future. We’ve brought in some heavyweight brands over recent years and things are going from strength to strength, as the business continues to grow its own brand and the portfolio of contract pack clients. “The team are continuously looking ahead and evolving capabilities to diversify into new drinks categories, and so this felt like the right time to bring in a fresh approach and the investment to support the business to hit new heights. “Whilst I will personally be exiting the business later in 2024, after six years at the helm, I leave behind an incredible management team and I couldn’t be prouder of everything they and the wider team have achieved and will go on to achieve. I know I’m leaving them and our customers in great hands and that they will find Supreme PLC a fantastic fit in so many ways.”