Dutch dairy business Royal A-ware has acquired the Spanish distributor Global Dairy Ventures (GDV) from its private-equity owners.

Based in Barcelona, GDV “connects European producers of premium cheese and dairy products with customers in retail and foodservice”, according to a statement today (6 February) from Royal A-ware.

It has bought the company from the Spanish investor Abac Capital for an undisclosed sum.

“With this acquisition, Royal A-ware strengthens its market position in Southern Europe and further expands its product portfolio,” the Dutch firm, which supplies a range of dairy products, added.

Some of GDV’s key customers include Iberconseil, Disalp and Adonis covering markets such as Spain, Portugal and Italy.

“The acquisition of GDV strengthens our market position in Southern Europe and enables us to offer customers an even more comprehensive product portfolio,” Antonio Rodriguez, the CEO of family-owned Royal A-ware, said.

“GDV was a logical choice because of its long-standing relationships with suppliers, strong customer trust and efficient distribution network.”

Royal A-ware said it expects to complete the deal in the “coming weeks”. The Dutch company produces cheese, butter, yogurt, quark, cream and milk powders, among other dairy products.

Christophe Roux, the CEO of GDV, added: "We are delighted to join Royal A-ware, a leading dairy producer, and to leverage its scale, expertise and in-depth knowledge of the sector to achieve our goal: connecting European premium dairy producers with the demanding needs of our customers.

“It has been a privilege to work alongside Abac Capital throughout this journey, and we look forward to the next phase of our development as part of the Royal A-ware family."

Oriol Pinya, the co-founder of Abac Capital, acknowledged in the same statement how the investor had built up the business during its ownership as GDV embarks on “this new phase of growth”.

In 2024, Royal A-ware also acquired a dairy business in Belgium - The Dairy Food Group – for an undisclosed sum.

Based in Zonhoven, The Dairy Food Group manufactures a range of dairy products for branded manufacturers and for retailers under private label.

However, the company also trimmed its factory base in Belgium last year with the closure of a site operated by its subsidiary Olympia.

Olympia’s Herne plant near Pajottegem in Flemish Brabant province produced cream, oatmeal desserts and other puddings, yoghurt, milk and chocolate milk.