UK-based Sykes Seafood has agreed to purchase Klaas Puul, the shrimp division of the Dutch Seafood Company (DSC), for an undisclosed sum.
Klaas Puul, located in the Dutch village of Volendam, was founded by entrepreneur Evert Mooijer and is regarded as one of Europe’s largest sea fishing companies. The seafood processor supplies retailers in its home market, as well as France, Belgium and Germany. It has production facilities in Volendam and Edam in the Netherlands, and also Tangier in Morocco.
The transaction by Manchester-based Sykes Seafood, a family-owned business, is expected to close by the end of February subject to clearance from the local competition authority, according to a statement, which added the deal will enable DSC to focus on growing its Foppen division for smoked salmon.
DSC was formed in 2018 when Dutch seafood processors Klaas Puul Beheer and Foppen Groep merged. Private-equity firm H2 Equity Partners, which bought a controlling stake in Klaas Puul in 2016, remained DSC’s majority shareholder.
Combining Sykes, which is focused on foodservice channels, and Klaas Puul creates a business with an annual turnover of around EUR300m (US$336.2m) with a presence in fresh and frozen seafood.
Established in 1964, Sykes was previously known as Sefton Meadow Seafoods. The company has processing facilities at the New Smithfield Market in Manchester and in the city of Liverpool.
