Uniq plc

Uniq plc was the final corporate name of a major British food manufacturer that originated in the 1959 merger of United Dairies and Cow & Gate. The combined business was named Unigate and initially brought together a large milk-delivery network with a broad portfolio of branded and manufactured foods. Its early range included Cow & Gate baby foods, Farmer's Wife cream, St Ivel cheese spreads and Utterly Butterly. The company was once one of the United Kingdom's largest milk suppliers and was listed on the London Stock Exchange, at one stage forming part of the FTSE 100 Index. During the 1960s and 1970s, changing patterns of milk consumption encouraged Unigate to diversify beyond dairy. It bought grocery stores, restaurants, clothing shops, laundrettes, food processors, restaurant franchises, transport businesses and overseas food companies. Acquisitions included Midland Counties Dairies, Scot Bowyers, the American cheese producer Frigo, Gardenia, Giltspur, Turners Turkeys, Casa Bonita, J. P. Wood, Arlington Motor Holdings, Colchester Car Auctions and the Black-Eyed Pea restaurant business. This expansion gave the group a wide industrial and consumer footprint, but also increased complexity and debt. In the late 1970s, chairman and chief executive John Clement attempted to stabilize the dairy business by selling most of its dairy manufacturing operations to the nationalized Milk Marketing Board. The proceeds were used partly to reduce debt and partly to fund further acquisitions. Diversification nevertheless failed to produce a durable improvement in the balance sheet. By the end of the 1980s, Unigate remained the United Kingdom's largest milk supplier, but dairy products represented only about one-third of group turnover, while losses and debt were mounting. Clement left both senior board positions by the end of 1991. The company then reversed much of its diversification strategy. During the 1990s it sold non-core and unprofitable businesses, raising approximately £700 million according to the cited historical account, and refocused on food manufacturing and distribution. It sold its interest in Nutricia, the holding company associated with Cow & Gate, acquired French food companies Prodipal and Vedial, and purchased the United Kingdom and Italian margarine and spreads business of Kraft Foods International, including Vitalite. It also acquired Fisher Quality Foods and later pursued Terranova, a chilled convenience-food business spun out during the break-up of Hillsdown Holdings. The structural pressures facing the group continued. Declining doorstep milk delivery, falling milk consumption and supermarket price pressure weakened the traditional dairy model. In 2000, Unigate sold its milk and cheese division to Dairy Crest and changed its name to Uniq in July of that year. It subsequently demerged its Wincanton logistics subsidiary through a 2001 initial public offering, sold its yoghurt business in 2002 and concentrated increasingly on chilled and convenience foods. Its remaining activities included prepared salads, chilled desserts, sandwiches and other manufactured foods supplied to retailers and food-service customers. Sites associated with the later business included Spalding, Northampton, Evercreech, Minsterley and Paignton. Uniq also sold Pinneys of Scotland, its United Kingdom chilled-fish business, to The Seafood Company, part of Foodvest, in 2009. On 12 July 2011, Irish convenience-food producer Greencore announced its intention to acquire Uniq. The transaction was completed in November 2011, after which Uniq ceased to operate as an independent listed company and was absorbed into Greencore's operations. The Uniq name therefore represents both a former public company and the final stage of a long transition from milk distribution and diversified conglomerate activity to specialized chilled-food manufacturing.

Uniq plc began in 1959 as Unigate, created by the merger of United Dairies and Cow & Gate. United Dairies contributed a substantial milk home-delivery operation, while the combined group also inherited food brands and manufacturing activities such as Cow & Gate baby foods and Farmer's Wife cream. The business subsequently developed products including St Ivel cheese spreads and Utterly Butterly. The decline and stabilization of the traditional dairy market led Unigate to diversify aggressively. It acquired Midland Counties Dairies in 1963 and expanded during the 1970s into grocery retailing, restaurants, clothing, laundrettes, meat processing, cheese manufacturing and restaurant franchising. Further purchases in the 1980s included transport, poultry, vehicle distribution and restaurant businesses. The strategy broadened the group but contributed to financial strain. In 1977, John Clement became chief executive and chairman and sold 75% of the dairy manufacturing business to the Milk Marketing Board, using the proceeds to reduce debt and pursue other acquisitions. The diversification program was ultimately judged unsuccessful, and Clement left his two senior roles by the end of 1991. During the 1990s, Unigate sold non-core assets and focused on food and distribution. It disposed of its interest in Nutricia, invested in French yoghurt, dessert and spread businesses, and acquired Kraft Foods International's United Kingdom and Italian margarine and spreads operations, including Vitalite. An unsuccessful attempt was made to acquire Hillsdown Holdings in 1998. Unigate later bought Fisher Quality Foods and made a successful, though initially hostile, bid for Terranova, a chilled convenience-food business. The group continued to face declining doorstep milk deliveries and pressure from supermarkets. In 2000, it sold its milk and cheese division to Dairy Crest and adopted the Uniq name. Wincanton was demerged in 2001, and the yoghurt business was sold in 2002. These moves left the company increasingly focused on chilled convenience foods and contract or private-label manufacturing. Its later manufacturing network included facilities in Spalding, Northampton, Evercreech, Minsterley and Paignton. Products and customers associated with these operations included prepared salads, sandwiches and chilled desserts. In 2009, Uniq agreed to sell Pinneys of Scotland, its chilled-fish business, to The Seafood Company, part of Foodvest. Greencore announced its acquisition of Uniq in July 2011, and the transaction completed in November of that year. Uniq was then absorbed into Greencore and ceased to exist as an independent listed food company.

• 2011

  Acquisition by Greencore completed

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  Greencore completed its acquisition of Uniq in November, bringing the company's activities into the Irish food group's operations.

• 2001

  Wincanton is demerged

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  The logistics business was separated from Uniq through an initial public offering.

• 2000

  Corporate name changes to Uniq

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  Following the sale of its milk and cheese division to Dairy Crest, Unigate adopted the Uniq name.

• 1996

  Kraft margarine and spreads business acquired

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  Unigate bought Kraft Foods International's United Kingdom and Italian margarine and spreads operations, including Vitalite.

• 1977

  John Clement becomes chairman and chief executive

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  Clement assumed both senior roles and pursued a restructuring of the dairy business, including the sale of most dairy manufacturing operations to the Milk Marketing Board.

• 1963

  Acquisition of Midland Counties Dairies

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  Unigate expanded its dairy operations through the purchase of Midland Counties Dairies.

• 1959

  United Dairies and Cow & Gate merge

  [1]Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org

  The merger created Unigate, combining a major British milk-delivery network with Cow & Gate and other food businesses.

A large British food manufacturing and distribution group that evolved from a dairy and doorstep-milk business into a supplier of branded and private-label chilled convenience foods.

• Dairy spreads

  St Ivel cheese spreads

  St Ivel was one of the dairy brands associated with the Unigate portfolio. Its cheese spreads reflected the company's original strength in processed dairy foods before the business shifted toward a broader chilled-food manufacturing model.

• Margarine and spreads

  Utterly Butterly

  Utterly Butterly was a spread product developed within the former Unigate portfolio. It belonged to the company's consumer-facing margarine and spread activities, alongside later acquisitions such as Vitalite.

• Margarine and spreads

  Vitalite

  Vitalite entered Unigate's portfolio through the 1996 acquisition of Kraft Foods International's United Kingdom and Italian margarine and spreads business. It represented the group's effort to build a wider food portfolio beyond liquid milk.

• Prepared salads

  Smedley's Salads

  Smedley's Salads was associated with Uniq's Spalding manufacturing site and illustrates the company's later concentration on chilled prepared foods rather than traditional milk distribution.

• Chilled convenience foods

  Prepared sandwiches

  The Northampton facility produced prepared sandwiches for major United Kingdom retailers, including Marks & Spencer and Morrisons. These operations positioned Uniq as a chilled-food manufacturer serving retail supply chains.

• Chilled desserts

  Cadbury chilled desserts

  The Paignton facility produced chilled desserts for Cadbury, including chocolate mousses. This manufacturing activity formed part of Uniq's later contract and customer-specific chilled-food operations.

• 2011

  Acquisition by GreencoreM&A

  Background

  Uniq remained a chilled-food manufacturer but was no longer an independent growth story after years of restructuring and asset sales.

  Action taken

  Greencore announced its intention to acquire Uniq in July 2011 and completed the transaction in November.

  Aftermath

  Uniq was subsumed into Greencore's operations and ceased to operate as an independent listed company.

  Source

• 2001

  Demerger of WincantonStrategy

  Background

  Uniq was narrowing its focus on food manufacturing and distribution after reversing earlier diversification into logistics and other non-core activities.

  Action taken

  Wincanton was separated from the group through an initial public offering.

  Aftermath

  Uniq became more concentrated on food operations, while Wincanton continued as a separate listed logistics company.

  Source

• 2000

  Exit from core milk and cheese operationsStrategy

  Background

  Milk consumption had declined, doorstep delivery was weakening and supermarket price pressure was affecting the traditional dairy model.

  Action taken

  Unigate sold its milk and cheese division to Dairy Crest and changed its corporate name to Uniq in July 2000.

  Aftermath

  The company moved toward chilled convenience foods and food manufacturing, while its historical identity as a major milk supplier receded.

  Source

1. 1Uniq plcen.wikipedia.org