A cheese brand favourite with shoppers is set to come under new ownership following a major business sale.
The UK’s best-selling cheese brand, Cathedral City, is being acquired by French dairy group Lactalis as part of a £988 million deal with Saputo.
The sale covers Saputo’s entire UK dairy operation, including five manufacturing sites and brands such as Clover and Country Life.
Carl Colizza, president and chief executive of Saputo, said: “The value to be realised recognises the expertise of the UK team, the quality of the operations and the market position of these leading brands.
“This transaction reinforces our strategic focus and enhances our financial flexibility as we continue to create long-term shareholder value through disciplined capital allocation.”
When will Cathedral City deal close?
Cathedral City is the UK’s most popular cheese brand, with sales of £320.2 million last year, according to The Grocer’s Top Products report.
Saputo’s UK division employs around 1,300 people and generated £630 million in revenue over the past year.
The deal is expected to close by the end of March 2027, subject to regulatory approvals.
Lactalis said the acquisition supports its goal of expanding its portfolio with brands that reflect the UK’s dairy heritage.
Emmanuel Besnier, chairman of Lactalis, said: “By welcoming famous brands and recognised expertise into the group, we are strengthening our position in the UK market and reaffirming our commitment to providing consumers with high-quality dairy products.”
Mr Colizza also thanked the UK team for their work.
He said: “We are profoundly grateful to our colleagues in the United Kingdom for their dedication and contributions to Saputo.
“We look forward to seeing these strong assets and brands continue to build on their market positions under new ownership.”
Major fashion retailer returns to UK high street 7 years after closing all stores
In other major UK business news, a fashion retailer has returned to the UK high street after closing all its stores seven years ago.
Karen Millen is a luxury womenswear brand that specialises in tailoring, coats, and other occasionwear.
It collapsed into administration in 2019 before being acquired by Boohoo Group.
As a result, the company closed all its physical stores across the country and moved to an online-only model.
Recommended reading:
Now, it will relaunch through a series of new concessions across the UK, with a focus on occasionwear and its signature Forever Collection.
The Leicester store at Fosse Park opened on Friday, August 14, and it will be followed by additional locations in Liverpool One and Aberdeen‘s Union Square on Monday, August 17.
More concessions are set to follow, although the date and areas have not yet been confirmed.
Do you enjoy Cathedral City’s products? Let us know in the comments.