Brady Family ham owner buys London company in UK expansion push
O’Brien Fine Foods will invest in the London manufacturing facilities as part of the takeover.
Brady Family Ham-owner O’Brien Fine Foods has expanded into Britain through the acquisition of ham producer Bearfields of London.
Bearfields is a family-run business, based in east London, which supplies branded and own-label raw and cooked ham products to caterers, pubs and café groups, independent retailers and chain stores such as Lidl and Costco.
Bearfields will act as O’Brien’s British business and O’Brien’s will invest in the London manufacturing facilities as part of the takeover.
O’Brien Fine Foods also owns the Homebird and Green Farm chicken and turkey meat brands in Ireland.
Currently, the company has no plans to sell its well-known Irish meat brands in the British market.
O’Brien’s employs 500 people in Ireland across manufacturing facilities in counties Kildare, Westmeath, and Meath.
It also supplies branded and own-label meat products to Tesco Ireland, Lidl, Dunnes, the Musgrave Group, and BWG Foods.
Managing director John O’Brien said the acquisition of Bearfields allows entrance to the British market with “an established and successful business”.
"We’ve found a strategic partner and a business of real substance that shares many of our strengths and values," Mr O'Brien said.
