October 2025

Sale of West Horsley Dairy to Granarolo S.p.A.

TheNonExec is delighted to have acted for the shareholders of West Horsley Dairy Limited in the recent sale to Granarolo S.p.A. This acquisition was a strategic sale and part of Granarolo’s global growth strategy.

Founded in 1992, West Horsley Dairy is a leading wholesale supplier of dairy product across the southeast. Privately owned for almost 33 years, the company has grown to become one of London’s leading dairy suppliers to hundreds of customers across a wide range of industries such as food catering, schools, restaurants and independent outlets.

Granarolo S.p.A. is a multi-billion revenue Italian co-operative milk and dairy group with 23 production plants, over 2,500 employees and is present in 80 countries across the world. The acquisition of West Horsley Dairy extends their UK operations alongside Midland Chilled Foods.

West Horsley Dairy’s founders, Philip and Catherine Colton, commented:

“This business has been a huge part of our lives, and we are proud that we have built such a respected business. We engaged Justin Levine at TheNonExec to search for a strategic buyer, which led us to Granarolo S.p.A. Their history, culture and expertise impressed us greatly. Under the UK leadership of CEO, Anthony Bosco, we are confident that the business will go from strength to strength.”

The deal was co-ordinated on the sell-side by TheNonExec Limited (M&A and CF), Steele Raymond LLP (legal) and Rothmans LLP (tax).

Granarolo S.p.A. was advised by TC Group (CF and tax) and Birketts LLP (legal).
Congratulations to all involved in this deal. We wish both parties a very successful future.
About TheNonExec Limited

We specialise in guiding owner-managed businesses through the sale process, typically those valued from £5 million to £50 million, bringing high-calibre global M&A execution to the lower mid-market. With a partner-led, boutique approach, we pair discrete strategic counsel with world-class financial modelling, exhaustive international buyer research and hands-on negotiation. We are relentlessly focused on providing the best result for our clients, delivered by an experienced leadership who understand what a successful exit means for founder and shareholders.

To hear more please contact us now.

Tags: Anthony Bosco, Catherine Colton, dairy, dairy product, Granarolo, growth strategy, Philip Colton, Rothmans, Steele Raymond, strategic sale, West Horsley Dairy, Wholesale