Buyers secured for site and machinery of Vale of Mowbray

The former site and machinery used by Yorkshire-based pie maker Vale of Mowbray has been sold out of administration.

NewCold, a Dutch-based international company that specialises in advanced automated warehousing and cold chain logistics, has purchased the site.

Compleat Food Group bought the plant and machinery. The group was formed in October 2021 when Addo Food Group and Winterbotham Darby were joined together under the same brand by owner PAI Partners. Wrights Food Group was later added to the fold.

The financial details of the Vale of Mowbray assets were not revealed.

Vale of Mowbray was based in Leeming Bar and specialised in the production of pork pies and Scotch eggs. It went into administration in late September 2022 after it experienced significant financial challenges due to rising raw material costs, increasing energy costs and difficulties with recruitment.

The collapse of the business, which first produced pork pies in 1928, came just five months after Vale of Mowbray announced a £4m investment in NPD and equipment to launch Scotch eggs. This had included the creation of 30 new jobs and the installation of machinery including a large fryer capable of producing 500 Scotch eggs a minute

Despite attempts to attract new investment, the business was no longer able to meet its financial obligations and ceased to trade.

Martyn Pullin, Mark Hodgett and David Shambrook, of specialist business advisory firm FRP, were appointed as joint administrators on 28 September 2022. As of Wednesday 1 March 2023, they had secured the sale of the freehold manufacturing site in Leeming Bar and the plant and machinery.

“Despite trading for almost 100 years, Vale of Mowbray faced significant challenges and was no longer able to operate or secure the investment needed to trade,” said Martyn Pullin, partner at FRP and joint administrator of Vale of Mowbray Limited.

“While it’s never easy saying goodbye to an established brand, we’re pleased to have found buyers for both the site and machinery and wish them all the best in the future.”