Member Article

Jobs at Rock Farm Dairy secured

55 jobs at Rock Farm Dairy have been secured after the sale of the company to UK Dairy Sales Limited.

A tolling agreement with UKDS has preserved the opportunity to sell the business as a growing concern, where assets have remained in the same location, protected employment and provided continuity of supply to customers.

All employees retained by the Company following administration will be transferred to the new owner along with Company owned assets.

Stephen Oldfield, joint administrator and PwC partner said: “We are delighted to have successfully concluded terms with the tolling partner, UKDS, for the sale of the Company’s business and assets.

“The sale of the assets to the tolling partner in their current location also preserves significant value for the Company’s creditors.

“Going forward we will continue to concentrate on the recovery of the Company’s pre-appointment debtors in order to achieve enhanced dividend prospects for all unsecured creditors.”

The new owners now hope to continue growing the business whilst also creating new local jobs.

Mr Jon Thornes, MBE,owner of UKDS said:“I am a passionate believer in the importance of supplying local milk for local people. Customers increasingly want to know where their milk comes from and trust the quality of the source. Rock Farm has traditionally been a local, family run dairy that enjoyed these qualities in abundance and we intend to keep it that way.”

UKDS is planning to invest over £2 million in order to build a solid platform for sustainable, long term growth for the business. The new enterprise will be owned by UKDS but will continue to trade as Rock Farm Dairy, thus preserving the 105 year heritage of the brand.

UKDS manager John Gregory added: “This agreement marks the dawning of an exciting new era for Rock Farm. It means that we can fully focus our attention on driving the business forward and we have ambitious plans for growth.

“These plans include developing our already extensive range of milk and dairy products to better meet the needs of our customers and hopefully creating more local jobs in the process.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .