Lactalis, the world’s largest dairy company, has reached an agreement to buy Saputo’s UK dairy business in a deal which values the business at £988m (€1.15bn).
Saputo’s UK business includes the Cathedral City cheddar brand, the most popular in the UK, as well as Country Life butter, Clover and Utterly Butterly spread.
The division employs approximately 1,300 people and operates five production sites across Britain. The business generated revenues of €800m in its most recent financial year, with 94% of sales into the UK market.
In a statement, Lactalis said the transaction is expected to complete by the end of March 2027.
Lactalis already has cheese and milk operations in the UK. The world's largest dairy company by sales reported global revenue of €31.2bn and net profit of €528m in 2025.
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