Tulip Ltd, part of the Danish Crown group, has announced its acquisition of UK pig producer Easey Holdings Ltd.

The takeover was completed on Friday 8th September and Tulip is seeking regulatory approval from the Competition & Markets Authority.

Family-owned pig farming operation Easey Holdings Ltd consists of four key divisions, including breeding herds (sows), growing herds, a veterinary practice and a livestock transport business.

Danish Crown has stated that the acquisition reinforces the company’s commitment to global farming, representing an investment in British farming and Tulip’s commitment to sustainable growth.

Andrew Saunders, agriculture director at Tulip Ltd’s farming division, Tulip Agriculture, commented: “Customer demand is rising for pigmeat produced to high welfare standards supported by strong provenance credentials.

“This acquisition forms part of Tulip Ltd’s strategic objective to further support the UK pig farming industry, allowing us to more effectively utilise our skills and expertise, capitalising on our industry-leading best practices which have been developed by farmers, vets and other experts within the organisation.”

Jais Valeur, CEO at Danish Crown, added: “Tulip has now successfully completed its profit turnaround and is focusing on cementing the significant progress made during the last year and is planning for the future. This acquisition is in that context and is part of a range of measures designed to Brexit-proof the business.

“This announcement reflects the significant progress being made with Tulip’s new strategic direction, demonstrating the company’s core values – passion for food and passion for farming.”