Granarolo S.p.A, a multibillion-pound revenue Italian dairy conglomerate majority-owned by Granlatte co-op, has strengthened its UK footprint with the acquisition of wholesaler West Horsley Dairy.
The Surrey-based private business, which supplies dairy products across the south of England, has hundreds of customers including caterers, schools, restaurants and independent outlets.
It now joins Midland Chilled Foods in Granarolo’s UK portfolio, which is managed by local entity, Granarolo UK Ltd. Acquired in 2018, Midland gives Granarolo a country-wide distribution channel for fresh, ambient, and frozen products.
West Horsley is a distributor of milk, cream, cheese, yoghurt and breakfast products, founded by Philip and Catherine Colton in 1992. It has 73 employees and a fleet of 43 refrigerated vehicles that deliver to London and the south-east of England, reaching approximately 500 customers., with turnover in 2024, the turnover of approximately £16m.
“We are delighted to sell our company to a company like Granarolo, which has made the quality of its products a core value,” said founders Philip and Catherine Colton. “We are confident that it will maximise the value of West Horsley’s offering by expanding it, to the satisfaction of the many customers who have placed their trust in us over the years.”
Granarolo says it is looking to grow its UK presence, particularly in London where it is targeting the hotel, restaurant, catering and food service sectors.
In the UK, Granarolo accounts for 12.8% of Italian dairy exports, and last year Granarolo’s saw annual volume growth in the UK of 8.6%.
For Granarolo, overseas sales in 2025 will account for approximately 40% of total sales, and it is one of the leading players in the export of Italian dairy products worldwide, accounting for 9.1% of Italian dairy exports.
Its 2026-2029 strategic plan prioritises internationalisation, with a particular focus on the European target markets of the UK and Germany.
“Consolidation in the UK is an important part of the Group’s growth policy abroad,” said chair Gianpiero Calzolari. “The plan is to significantly increase the volume of Italian dairy products in the UK, focusing on the hotel, restaurant and catering, and food service markets in London, where West Horsley has consolidated its presence.”
“Over the course of the year, we aim to integrate West Horsley’s product portfolio with our wide range of fresh and mature Italian cheeses such as Mozzarella, Burrata, Stracciatella, Mascarpone, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO, Gorgonzola PDO and Pecorino PDO, as well as other Italian specialities,” added Anthony Bosco, CEO of Granarolo UK.
Founded in 1957 and based in Bologna, Granarolo is controlled by Granlatte on a 63% stake, with the other shareholders banking group Intesa Sanpaolo, National Strategic Fund, and mutual fund Enpaia.
Granlatte, a member of Legacoop and Confcooperative, comprises more than 400 individual affiliated farmers and two collection co-ops.
