• just-food home
• Companies

Bernard Matthews

---

Bernard Matthews Farms has admitted it may look for outside investment and 2 Sisters Food Group is reportedly considering a bid for the business. Industry watchers believe the UK food giant is the prime candidate to acquire the poultry processor. Michelle Russell reports.

Turnaround specialist Rutland Partners has taken a stake in the UK's largest turkey brand, Bernard Matthews. Rutland managing partner Paul Cartwright is undaunted by the challenges that the company faces and - with a fresh injection of funds - Rutland believes it can help put Bernard Matthews "back on the map". Katy Askew spoke to Cartwright to find out more about what attracted the generalist investor to the struggling poultry processor.

---

Bernard Matthews, the UK turkey business, has taken a battering over the past few years. From the fall-out over Jamie Oliver’s push to improve school dinners to the outbreak of bird flu at the group’s turkey farm in Norfolk, the company moved from one PR catastrophe to the next and consumers began to turn away from this icon of British food. Last week, Bernard Matthews relaunched its brand with a new look and new message. Katy Humphries spoke with marketing director Matthew Pullen on how the company intends to update its image and win back the once-loyal UK consumer.

UK turkey processor Bernard Matthews is to axe 128 jobs at its Great Witchingham headquarters in Norfolk, eastern England and "cease all-year-round chicken production" at the facility, union leaders claimed today (6 April).

---

UK turkey processor Bernard Matthews could be set to cut 150 jobs in a bid to make the business "fit for future growth".

---

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has cleared last year's acquisition of turkey processor Bernard Matthews by the private investment vehicle of Ranjit Singh Boparan, the CEO of the UK's 2 Sisters Food Group.

---

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority has launched an investigation into the acquisition of turkey processor Bernard Matthews by the private investment vehicle of Ranjit Singh Boparan, the CEO of the UK's 2 Sisters Food Group.

---

The UK's Pension Protection Fund (PPF) said today (21 June) it is set to start assessing the pension scheme of turkey producer Bernard Matthews, which was acquired last night by the private investment vehicle of Ranjit Singh Boparan, the chief executive of the UK's 2 Sisters Food Group.

---

Europe's largest turkey producer, Bernard Matthews, has been acquired by the private investment vehicle of Ranjit Singh Boparan, the chief executive of the UK's 2 Sisters Food Group.

---

The UK's pensions regulator has confirmed it is "in contact" with trustees of the Bernard Matthews pension fund over reports Europe's largest turkey producer is about to be sold – with Boparan Holdings-owned 2 Sisters Food Group understood to be one of two potential buyers.

---

A senior UK MP has called for the country's pensions regulator to investigate the "imminent sale" of Europe's largest turkey manufacturer, UK-based Bernard Matthews.

---

The UK's biggest trade union, Unite, today (19 September) called for urgent talks with the management of Europe's largest turkey manufacturer, UK-based Bernard Matthews, after the union said a second potential buyer for the company had emerged.

---

The majority owner of Europe's largest turkey manufacturer, Bernard Matthews, has declined to comment on reports that an announcement of the sale of the business to Boparan Holdings-owned 2 Sisters Food Group is imminent.

---

Fresh uncertainty has been raised over the future of Bernard Matthews, with reports suggesting that the company's owners could be preparing to transfer the company's pension liability to the Pension Protection Fund. 

---

Europe's largest turkey manufacturer, Bernard Matthews, said today (6 July) it had exchanged contracts to sell its German subsidiary, Bernard Matthews Oldenburg (BMO), to Germany's Sprehe Gruppe.

---

The owners of Europe's largest turkey manufacturer, Bernard Matthews, are considering selling the business. 

---

Unite, the union representing workers at the UK's largest turkey producer Bernard Matthews, has called for clarity over the company's future after it emerged the business' private-equity owners are consulting with advisers on a possible sale. 

---

Turkey processor Bernard Matthews is to increase production capacity at its Norfolk site.

---

Bernard Matthews is preparing to close its Grainthorpe factory in Lincolnshire - a move which sees 80 jobs at risk.

---

Irish food manufacturer Kerry Group is reportedly leading the race to acquire meat snack brand Peperami from Unilever.

---

UK poultry producer Bernard Matthews has booked a loss of over GBP20m in its latest financial accounts.

---

Turnaround specialist Rutland Partners has invested in Bernard Matthews, in a move it said would "strengthen" the UK poultry group and support "future growth and development".

---

The leading story this week was clear: the UK's announcement of what the new front-of-pack nutrition label will look like and crucially, which companies have signed up - and which haven't. The Australian government also put forward plans for a front-of-pack label, although the country's food industry was less than happy. Elsewhere, M&A dominated, with Archer Daniels Midland admitting it was in talks to sell its cocoa business, Chinese dairy giant Mengniu looking to buy local infant formula firm Yashili and Campbell Soup Co. making another acquisition outside the soup sector.

---

Chocolate giant Mars and crisp manufacturer PepsiCo are among over 20 food makers and retailers to agree to adopt new "hybrid" front-of-pack nutrition labels in the UK.

---

UK food firm 2 Sisters Food Group has remained tight-lipped over reports it is interested in making a bid for UK poultry processor Bernard Matthews Farms.

---

UK poultry processor Bernard Matthews Farms is in talks to potentially make around 55 job cuts.

---

Bernard Matthews Farms, which is looking for outside investment, has named former boss David Joll as executive chairman after three senior executives left their positions.

---

Campbell Soup Co. became the third major multinational to invest in the buoyant organic baby food sector in a month with a deal to buy US firm Plum Organics. Danone is another of the three food giants to do business in organic baby food - and this week it continued its investment in faster-growing categories and markets with a fresh attempt to crack China's booming yoghurt sector.