Uniq plc: Difference between revisions

{{Infobox Companycompany

| company_namename = Uniq plc

| location = [[Gerrards Cross]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]

| key_people = Ross Warburton, [[Chair (official)|Chairman]] <br /> Geoff Eaton, [[CEO]]

| homepage = <s>[http://www.uniq.com www.uniq.com]</s>

| slogan =

'''Uniq plc''' (formerly '''Unigate plc''') ({{lse|UNIQ}}) was a [[United Kingdom|British]] food manufacturer. Listed on the [[London Stock Exchange]] and once a constituent of the [[FTSE 100 Index]], it was taentaken over by [[Ireland|Irish]]- foods conglomerate [[Greencore]] in 2011.

The company was formed in 1959 by the merger of the UK's largest dairy products company [[United Dairies]], with [[Cow & Gate]], earlier known as the [[West Surrey Central Dairy Company]],<ref name="whb">{{cite web|url=http://www.wincantonplc.com/wincanton/history.jsp?tn=1&sn=1 |title=History & Business |publisher=Wincanton Plc |accessdateaccess-date=2008-04-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609101312/http://www.wincantonplc.com/wincanton/history.jsp |archive-date=June 9, 2008 }}</ref> forming '''Unigate'''.

In 1963, Unigate acquired [[Midland Counties Dairies]], but as milk consumption levelled and then started to decliedecline in the 1960s, it began diversifying into non-dairy businesses. It began by buying up [[grocery]] stores and [[restaurant]]s, and by the 1970s bought [[supermarket]] chain Kibby's, Quids-In clothing shops, Uni-Wash laundrettes, and some [[Kentucky Fried Chicken]] franchises. In 1973, it acquired Scot Bowyers, a meat-processing company Scot Bowyers, in 1975 United States-based [[Italian cheese]] manufacturer [[Saputo Incorporated|Frigo]], and in 1978 US specialty cheesemaker, [[Gardenia]].

*1986: Prufrock, which specialized in southern-style food through the [[Black-Eyed Pea (restaurant)|Black-Eyed Pea]] chain of restaurants<ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F06E6DA1F39F937A35755C0A960958260|title=Unigate of Britain sells US restaurant chain|publisherwork=New York Times|accessdateaccess-date=2009-01-03 | date=1996-06-04}}</ref>

But the diversification didn'tdid not help the balance pay-offsheet, and in the late 1980s the project was reversed. TheBy salesthe allend madeof lossesthe decade, anddespite buyUnigate remaining the endUK's ofbiggest themilk decade althoughsupplier, dairy products only made up one third of group turnover, Unigate was still the UK's biggest milk supplier. With losses mounting and debt rising, Clement was replaced in both board positions by the end of 1991.

In the following decade, Unigate focused on food and distribution, selling off non-core and unprofitable businessbusinesses, which raised £700million700 million. Half of this came through the £332M332 million sale of its share in [[Nutricia]], the holding company which nowthat owned the Cow & Gate brand. The company also bought brands to supplement its new direction, spending £400M400 million on French firms [[Prodipal]], a maker of yogurts and desserts, and [[Vedial]], a maker of spreads. In September 1996, Unigate paid £77.3M25 million for the U.K.UK and Italian margarine and spreads business of [[Kraft Foods]] International, including [[Vitalite]].<ref>{{cite newsweb|title=Unigate fattens up for Unilever spreads battle|url=http://findarticleswww.marketingmagazine.co.comuk/particle/articles55169/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n14064535week-unigate-fattens-unilever-spreads-battle|titlewebsite=Large acquisitionwww.marketingmagazine.co.uk|publisher=IndependentMarketing Magazine|accessdate=2009access-01-03}} {{Dead link|date=October2 July 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot2014}}</ref> The result of this refocusing activity was a steady rise in profits.

With a strong balance sheet, inIn May 1998, the company attempted an unsuccessful £1.59Bn59 billion takeover of diversified conglomerate [[Hillsdown Holdings]]. In February 1999 the company did acquiredacquire Fisher Quality Foods, a leading UK supplier of sauces, dressings, and marinades, from the [[Albert Fisher Group]] PLC for £43M43 million. In the mean timemeantime, Hillsdown under shareholder pressure had begun a break-up, spinning off its chilled convenience food subsidiary as Terranova. In March 1999, Unigate initiated a hostile £228.5M5 million takeover bid offor Terranova, which was accepted after the bid was raised to £274M274 million.

But by the late 1990s, the decline in doorstep deliveries and fierce price pressure from supermarkets led to mounting losses, and in 2000 the milk and cheese division was sold to [[Dairy Crest]].<ref>{{cite news|url=httphttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/unigate-sells-its-milk-operations-to-dairy-crest-for-pound220m-725287.html

|title=Unigate sells its milk operations to Dairy Crest for £220m|publisher=Independent|accessdateaccess-date=2009-01-03 | location=London | first=Saeed | last=Shah | date=2000-02-19}}{{dead link|date=August 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> On completion of the sale, the company changed its name to Uniq in July 2000.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0DQA/is_/ai_74488762|title=Unigate becomes Uniq|publisher=Eurofood|accessdateaccess-date=2009-01-03 | year=2000}}</ref> In 2001, it demerged [[Wincanton plc|Wincanton]], its logistics subsidiary, by way of an [[initial public offering]].<ref name="whb" />

It sold its yoghurt business in 2002 to raise money to concentrate on the [[convenience foods]] market.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_/ai_n12631372|title=Uniq sells Shape brand to Danone for £32m|publisher=Independent|accessdateaccess-date=2009-01-03}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=RjwilmsiBot}}</ref> In March 2009 Uniq reached an agreement for the sale of its UK chilled fish business, Pinneys of Scotland, to The Seafood Company Ltd (part of the Foodvest Group).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/22422/Uniq/uniq-sell-uk-chilled-fish-business-pinneys-scotland.html |title=Uniq sell UK chilled fish business Pinneys of Scotland |publisher=Flex News |accessdateaccess-date=2009-08-04}} {{Dead|url-status=dead link|datearchive-url=Octoberhttps://web.archive.org/web/20090307165624/http://www.flex-news-food.com/pages/22422/Uniq/uniq-sell-uk-chilled-fish-business-pinneys-scotland.html 2010|botarchive-date=H3llBotMarch 7, 2009 }}</ref>

On 12 July 2011, [[Greencore]] announced it intended to buy Uniq.<ref>http{{cite web |url=https://wwwnext.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0content/7f0b625a-ac5c-11e0-bac9-00144feabdc0.html#axzz1Rt1MrUq7 |title=Greencore agrees £113m Uniq takeover |publisher=Financial Times |date=12 July 2011}}</ref> The deal was completed in November 2011, and Uniq is now subsumed within the operations of Greencore.

The company has sites in [[Spalding, Lincolnshire|Spalding]] (SmedleysSmedley's Salads prepared salads), [[Northampton]], [[Evercreech]] (former St Ivel site), [[Minsterley]] in [[Shropshire]] (former site of [[Northern Foods]] until May 2004) and [[Paignton]] (produces all of [[Cadbury's]] chilled desserts such as [[chocolate mousse]]s). The Northampton site produces most of [[Marks & SpencersSpencer]]'s and [[Morrisons]]' prepared sandwiches.

[[Category:CompaniesFood and drink companies established in 1959]]

[[Category:CompaniesFood and drink companies disestablished in 2011]]

[[Category:Companies formerllyformerly listed on the London Stock Exchange]]