Westland Horticulture buys Cranswick Pet Products

Westland Horticulture buys Cranswick Pet Products A FAST-growing horticulture business from Northern Ireland has snapped up Cranswick Pet Products in Driffield for £18m with the intention of growing its market share in Europe's wild bird food sector. Mr Conroy added: "Both Westland and Cranswick Pet Products have a strong record in growing categories, delivering innovation and consumer quality. "It is these synergies that make this one of the most exciting opportunities in gardening. Cranswick Pet Products manufactures and distributes branded and own label food products for wild birds and small animals. "We are confident that together as one we'll be able to grow the market and communicate the benefits of quality bird food, that will increase the number of birds in the garden and will give gardeners great enjoyment. John Garner, a director at the state-backed private equity firm, said: "Our investment saw us back a first-rate management team of a market-leading business which has shown strong resilience throughout a sustained period of recession and has ultimately generated a good return for LDC. ". He and fellow MD Robert Lavery founded Westland in the early 1990s. Cranswick Pet Products sales rose to £41. "If they have got a pound in their pocket, they will buy a bag of bird feed. 5m in 2009. Derek Black, the York-born chief executive who led the £17m management buyout in 2009, will remain with the business, said Westland. LDC will keep its majority stake in the Tropical Marine Division, the other trading division of Cranswick Pet and Aquatics. Sam Marriage, national sales manager, said: "We are incredibly excited with the new opportunity to merge with Westland. The wild bird market is forecast to grow 10 per cent year-on-year. Westland Horticulture buys Cranswick Pet Products Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 13/04/2012