DSV – Deutsche Saatveredelung, the German seed company, is to sell its 50% shareholding in Perryfields Holdings to the Danish seed company DLF-Trifolium. Perryfields Holdings produce, market and distribute primarily forage crops and amenity grasses within the UK. With a turnover of around £12 million Perryfields Holdings Ltd is a leading producer and marketer of grass seed in the UK. The company employs approximately 70 people and is situated at Inkberrow, near Birmingham, England. A group of UK farmer controlled businesses holds the remaining 50% of shares in Perryfields Holdings. That group has 9 members, of which Countrywide Farmers Plc, Worcester, is the largest.
A merger between Perryfields Holdings and DLF- Trifolium UK & Ireland, a wholly owned subsidiary of DLF-Trifolium, is planned, with DLF-Trifolium subsequently holding a majority interest in the new company. The merged Perryfields Holdings and DLF-Trifolium UK & Ireland will continue to operate under existing trade names.
DLF-Trifolium, which is based in Roskilde, Denmark and is controlled by Danish seed growers through the co-op DLF Amba, claims to be the world’s largest grass seed producer. There are subsidiaries in Denmark, UK, Germany, France, the Czech Republic and in the US as well as a branch in China. The Group has a turnover of 1 billion Danish Kroner.
With the DLF-Trifolium acquisition of the 50% stake in Perryfields Holdings, a much needed improvement in the UK distribution systems in the sector will be achieved. The merged businesses will be a strong partner both up and down-stream, offering a complete range of forage and amenity grasses that will provide effective distribution solutions to the market for the benefit of the consumer.
At the same time DSV takes over breeding and certain wholesale activities in winter and spring oil seed rape from DLF-Trifolium. DSV holds a strong position in winter and spring oil seed rape on a European and world-wide basis. The DLF breeding activities and gene pool will be consolidated within the DSV network with the goal to produce new competitive varieties adapted to the diversified market needs in Germany, the rest of Europe and North America.
DLF Trifolium, and the merged DLF-Trifolium UK & Ireland/Perryfields Holdings, will be the nominated distributor of DSV varieties of oil seed rape and winter wheat in the UK.
The transactions are conditional upon satisfactory due diligence investigations.
Perryfields Holdings www.perryfields.co.uk