Lincoln set to sell dairy business

LINCOLNSHIRE Co-operative is set to sell its long-established dairy business to Dairy Farmers of Britain for an undisclosed sum.
The society has confirmed that negotiations with the country&#039s leading dairy farmers co-operative ? which bought the Co-operative Group&#039s Association Co-operative Creameries for &#163 78.8 million last August ? are almost complete.
Ursula Lidbetter, Lincolnshire Co-operative&#039s Chief Executive, said: "We are very pleased to be at an advanced stage of negotiations with Dairy Farmers of Britain for it to take over our dairy operations.
"We are confident this move will provide a sound future for our Boultham Park Dairy and secure the service we provide around the county and beyond."
The deal will see the dairy arm of Lincolnshire Co-op being transferred to DFB which has more than 3,250 member farms in the UK. DFB ? the UK&#039s third largest milk processor ? will continue to provide milk to the society&#039s stores and also Clarey&#039s Ice Cream, which the society currently produces.
The society confirmed that all jobs would be transferred to the farmers&#039 co-op.
Said Ms Lidbetter: "We are particularly pleased that Dairy Farmers of Britain is a fellow co-operative business."