Mizkan buys U.K. vinegar, pickle business

PRNewswire

MT. PROSPECT — Condiment manufacturer Mizkan Euro-Americas said it will purchase the U.K. based vinegar and sour pickle business from Premier Foods plc. Terms of the purchase were not announced.

The purchase includes the Sarson’s, Haywards and Dufrais lines of branded products. Sarson’s Malt Vinegar and Haywards Pickled Vegetables are both Number 1 in their respective categories while the Dufrais brand is 2 in specialty vinegars. The brands are manufactured at a production facility in Middleton, near Manchester, England.

“We are excited about acquiring three very strong, iconic brands that have a deep heritage and tradition in the United Kingdom,” said Craig Smith, president and CEO of Mizkan Euro-Americas. “Both Sarson’s and Haywards have a loyal consumer following and we look forward to further investing in these brands and adding to that great legacy.

“All of the brands fit well with our product portfolio in Europe and North America and represent an excellent strategic fit as we expand our business base in the UK and across Europe,” Smith added.

Premier Foods CEO Michael Clarke said the agreement “represents another important step in our strategy to focus on our eight Power Brands. “I’m delighted that we found a buyer like Mizkan, as our vinegar and pickle brands will greatly benefit from being part of a global player focused on vinegar and a wide variety of liquid condiments,” Clarke said.

The sale is expected to close by the end of July.