M&A Advisory

HallMark

Adviser to South-West England based, HallMark Veterinary Compliance Services, on its acquisition of Meat and Livestock Commercial Services Limited.

The deal

Our Corporate Finance team successfully advised South-West England based, HallMark Veterinary Compliance Services (Hallmark), on its acquisition of Meat and Livestock Commercial Services Limited (MLCSL), divested from the ownership of the UK government’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).

Since 2002, HallMark Veterinary & Compliance Services has been a cornerstone in the UK Agrifood Sector, committed to delivering superior resourcing solutions throughout the UK, catering to both governmental and private sectors.

Proudly serving an extensive and prestigious client base, including the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), their dedication to quality and efficiency has solidified their status as a frontrunner in food and farming compliance.

Our Corporate Finance team led by Partner Gary Partridge worked with HallMark over the course of 2018 to position the Company as the preferred bidder in the sale process. HallMark was successfully selected having met all the criteria set down by AHDB’s board, including value for money, track record of delivering independent services and commitment to the long-term future of MLCSL. The deal was approved by the Minister of State at Defra, George Eustice.

FRP Corporate Finance will continue to provide strategic advice and support to HallMark’s holding company, Vorenta, which has an exciting strategy to be one of the UK’s leading compliance and testing providers across the entire food and safety and standards sector.

Gary Partridge, FRP Corporate Finance Partner commented “The Vorenta and HallMark teams were a delight to work with. MLSCL is the first step in an exciting sector consolidation strategy and we look forward to advising them upon that journey.”

David Peace, Chairman of HallMark, said “We are absolutely delighted with the acquisition of MLCSL, which we believe fits very well with our current operations, to the mutual benefit of both businesses’ future development.”

“This is the first transaction we have worked on with the Cardiff team and we will certainly stay with them as we consider further acquisitions and group development. We have found the team’s advice to be concise and helpful at all stages throughout the acquisition process; from opening discussions with potential funders, during vendor negotiations and in the closing stages right up to completion.”

Deal summary

Date:

November 2018

Sector:

Healthcare

Deal type:

Buying a business

Deal size:

Undisclosed

The Vorenta and HallMark teams were a delight to work with. MLSCL is the first step in an exciting sector consolidation strategy and we look forward to advising them upon that journey Gary Partridge Corporate Finance

Related team

Gary Partridge

Gary Partridge

  • Partner
  • Corporate Finance
  • Cardiff