ABP Food Group has acquired a 25% stake in Dovecote Park, the North Yorkshire-based supplier of beef, veal and venison, in a strategic investment that leaves the processor’s existing leadership team in operational control.
The investment gives ABP a minority position in a major premium red-meat business with a long-standing relationship supplying Waitrose, while adding a board-level presence within Dovecote Park’s parent company, Extra Detail Ltd.
ABP acquired the stake through the purchase of Benoni Holding Corporation, which previously held a minority shareholding in Extra Detail Ltd. The deal follows the departure of former director and shareholder Amanda Buitelaar, who ceased to be a person with significant control in April 2026.
In a statement, Dovecote Park said ABP’s acquisition of Benoni represents a “long-term strategic investment” for the group. It added that the existing board and management team will retain their independent authority to grow and develop the business, with ABP acting as a supportive minority shareholder.
Dovecote Park’s remaining leadership, including chairman David Gunner and chief executive Richard Canvin, is expected to remain in place following the investment.
ABP has taken a seat on the board of Extra Detail Ltd and its subsidiary companies, but the structure of the transaction means it does not take control of day-to-day operations. The arrangement positions ABP as an investor in the business while preserving the established management model behind Dovecote Park’s retail and foodservice supply operations.
Founded in 1997, Dovecote Park supplies British beef, veal and venison to retail, foodservice and fine-dining customers, with Waitrose among its key customers. The business operates from sites at Stapleton, near Pontefract, and Skellingthorpe in Lincolnshire, encompassing abattoir, deboning, packing and venison-processing operations.
Its latest accounts show turnover grew by more than 23% to £347 million for the year ending 26 September 2025, up from £281.6 million the previous year. Operating profit fell from £4.4 million to £3.6 million, however, reflecting pressure on margins despite the increase in sales.
For ABP, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest red-meat processors, the move creates a foothold in a premium, retailer-aligned supply chain without a full acquisition.
The group has expanded its processing portfolio through a combination of acquisitions and partnership investments in recent years, including its acquisition of Scotbeef processing operations in Scotland and an agreement to acquire a Vion beef-processing facility in Buchloe, Germany.
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As reported by Meat Management, a spokesperson for Dovecote Park said: “The acquisition of Benoni represents a long-term strategic investment for the ABP Group. They have taken a seat on the board of directors of Extra Detail Ltd and its subsidiary companies.
“Benoni, as a minority shareholder, will be supportive of the group’s strategic direction, whilst maintaining the policy of acknowledging the current board and management team‘s independent ability and authority to grow and develop the Dovecote Park business.”
Although ABP has not indicated plans to increase its shareholding, the investment brings two significant operators in the British beef sector closer together. With Dovecote Park retaining its existing management and ABP holding a minority stake, the immediate focus is likely to be on supporting the Yorkshire processor’s continued growth and established customer relationships.
