Ireland’s ABP Food Group has recently increased its stake in UK-based Dovecote Park, a supplier known for its beef and venison offerings.
The acquisition involved Benoni Corp, which previously owned a minority interest in Dovecote Park, a key supplier of red meat to the British supermarket, Waitrose.
Benoni was under the direction of Dovecote Park’s Amanda Buitelaar, who, as per the filings at Companies House, the UK’s official record, resigned her directorship in April.
ABP’s Tom Kirwan has since been appointed as a director at Dovecote Park as of June.
Dovecote Park operates under Extra Detail, a holding company controlled by chairman David Gunner and chief executive Richard Canvin.
When contacted by Just Food, ABP opted not to comment on the acquisition.
However, Dovecote Park did confirm the investment from ABP in an official statement.
“The acquisition of Benoni represents a long-term strategic investment for the ABP Group,” read the statement. “They have secured a position on the board of directors at Extra Detail Ltd and its subsidiaries. Benoni will contribute as a minority shareholder while continuing to respect the established board and management’s autonomy to drive the growth of Dovecote Park.”
The most current financial reports submitted for Dovecote Park to Companies House cover the period ending September 26, 2025. The company saw an increase in turnover but faced pressure on profits due to rising costs of sales and increased distribution expenses.
Dovecote Park’s turnover rose by 23.2% to reach £347 million ($467.2 million). However, operating profit dipped to £3.6 million, reflecting an 18.9% decline compared to the previous year. The profit for this period stood at £2.6 million, down 17.1% from the last fiscal year.
In May, Netherlands-based Vion Food Group disclosed that it had sold a German slaughterhouse to ABP, which processes approximately 90,000 cattle each year at the Buchloe facility.
Earlier in February, ABP announced plans to evaluate around 230 potential job reductions at its cutting and deboning plant located in Waterford.
In January, the company had also revealed intentions to shut down its Northern Ireland site in Linden, resulting in 338 job losses.
ABP stated that these decisions were made in response to “trading conditions and market trends,” along with a need for consolidation.