TC Knill James, a member of The Corporate Finance Network based in Lewes, East Sussex, provided financial due diligence and deal advisory services in connection with the acquisition of West Horsley Dairy Limited by Granarolo S.p.A..
TC Knill James was engaged by Granarolo, the Italian co-operative milk and dairy group, to undertake financial due diligence on the UK-based dairy wholesale business, West Horsley Dairy Limited, as part of its strategic expansion in the UK market. Following completion of the initial due diligence, TC Knill James was subsequently appointed to support the client on the deal advisory side.
The engagement involved close collaboration with the target business and its advisers to develop a detailed understanding of the company’s financial performance, operations, and commercial dynamics. This included an on-site visit and extensive discussions with the owners, with particular focus on understanding long-standing procedures and relationships developed over more than 30 years of trading.
As part of the deal advisory work, TC Knill James liaised closely with the client’s UK and overseas teams to help ensure that the purchase price and SPA terms aligned with Granarolo’s strategic objectives. The team also worked alongside the target’s advisers to support negotiations arising from key findings identified during the financial due diligence process, helping to ensure a smooth transaction that completed on schedule.
The engagement was led by George Clayson (Financial Due Diligence) and Kirsty Wilson (Deal Advisory). Legal advice was provided by Birketts LLP on the buy side, with TheNonExec Limited, Steele Raymond LLP and Rothmans LLP advising the sellers.
The acquisition provides Granarolo with a strong platform to expand its UK operations in the dairy wholesale sector, leveraging the scale, capabilities, and established market connections of West Horsley Dairy to support future growth.
