C&K Meats was founded in 1994 by brothers Kevin and Chris Burrows, and specialises in beef, pork, lamb and value-added products. Its main production facility is located in Eye, Suffolk and the company has more than 160 employees.
The business won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in 2017 and exports produce to Europe and Asia. According to accounts filed with Companies House, in the year to 31 March 2018 the business had a turnover of £23.3m.
“We have firmly established ourselves on the British market in recent years and want to continue to grow,” said Carsten Jacobsen, responsible for the UK in the Tönnies Group. “With C&K Meats, we have now gained a partner who is expanding our strength and has the potential to continue growing.
‘An excellent partner’
“We want to continue vertical integration in the UK,” he added. “With C&K Meats, we have found an excellent partner that will enable further growth.”
A spokesman for Tönnies confirmed to Food Manufacture that there wouldn't be any immediate staffing changes at C&K Meats.
Although headquartered in the Rheda-Wiedenbrück region in Germany, it has locations in the UK, Denmark, France, Belgium and Poland, and employs around 16,500 people.
In December 2018, Tönnies acquired sausage-making business Riverway Foods, also for an undisclosed sum.
According to Tönnies, the Riverway Foods acquisition was made to “expand market share in the UK” and provide “more vertical integration in the value chain”.