Deal brings established vegetable-growing operation into the Fenmarc stable
Fenmac Produce has bought out vegetable supplier Alfred G. Pearce.
Fenmarc is a £60m Cambridgeshire-based supplier of a range of vegetable and prepared lines, while Norfolk-based Alfred G. Pearce is best known as a grower of carrots, but has expanded its range into protected crops and brassicas in recent years.
The acquisition was completed last week for an undisclosed sum.
Fenmarc owners Mark and Rachel Harrod said: “Alfred G. Pearce has been a trusted and valued supplier to Fenmarc for over 20 years. It is a local, family business we know well and joining together seemed a natural step working towards a more resilient supply chain, bringing together agricultural and operational experience.
“This will allow us to pool the knowledge and expertise of both businesses to deliver even better quality and service to all of our customers. The Pearce family and the broader leadership team at AGP will all continue to play a full and active role within the new integrated business and we look forward to working alongside them over the coming months and years.”
Fenmarc chief executive Jim Waller said that the acquisition would open up opportunities for both businesses in each other’s market sectors. ”We have complementary customers who will benefit from the new broader group with improvements in quality, service and innovation to better meet the consumer need to eat more healthy food,” he added.
”We’re looking forward to working with our new colleagues and forging closer relationships with our growers to continue to develop and enhance our sourcing strategy.”
Period of investment
The purchase of Alfred G. Pearce continues a period of investment for Fenmarc, which has spent over £15m in improving its manufacturing operation to improve productivity and broaden capabilities over the past decade.
The company currently supplies seven major retailers with own-label products, and in May 2024 it launched the Veg Table brand of veg-based meals in over 500 Tesco stores nationwide. In August this year, Fenmarc also became a certified B Corporation.
The Fenmarc family shareholders also own a 1,000 hectare farm in Pembrokeshire, are majority shareholders in Agellus Hotels, and are shareholders in Puffin Produce and Pembrokeshire Creamery in West Wales.
Alfred G. Pearce, meanwhile, has been in business for over 65 years, supplying raw wholehead and prepared vegetables to the food manufacturing and foodservice sectors with operations on three sites in Nofolk at Setchey, Wormegay and Tilney.
Simon and Jonathan Pearce, owners of Alfred G. Pearce, said: “This is a natural joining of two family-owned businesses, providing Fenmarc with a route back to the soil and opportunities in both the B2B sector and the retail prepared space, with an integrated model for prepared vegetables from field to consumers’ plates.
“We feel both companies share similar values in the way they do business and the value we place on our colleagues. It also provides Alfred G. Pearce with opportunities to accelerate its existing expansion strategy through close relationships with our customers, robust direct supply chains and investing in automation.”
