Dairy Crest unveils St Hubert deal

Food group Dairy Crest was today poised to become one of the leading spread manufacturers in France.

The English-based firm, which makes Country Life butter and Cathedral City cheese, agreed to buy St Hubert off Uniq for £248m (€369.9m).

St Hubert holds a 31% share of the spreads market in France and is also the market leader in the small Italian spreads market with its Valle brand.

Dairy Crest posted a 25% rise in pre-tax profits for the six months to September 30 to £31.8m (€47.4m).