The sausages, pork and chicken supplier has seen ‘exceptional’ growth in Mediterranean foods
Houmous with bread sticks and olives. Cranswick has seen exceptional sales of its Mediterranean treats.(Image: DAILY RECORD)
It’s known for its pork, chicken and pet products. Yet Hull supermarket supplier Cranswick says sales of falafel and houmous have been driving recent success.
The company, which has operations across the region and beyond, has posted record results for the year ended March 2026, with revenues jumping 9.5% to £2.98bn and operating profits rising 14.5% to £237m. It also highlighted a record £163m invested across the business, bringing the total invested to more than £560m over the past five years.
Bosses toasted record results, telling how its core pork business performed strongly, poultry again delivered significant growth and that its pet products business also delivered another year of strong growth, thanks to its developing relationship with Pets at Home. And notably it said its Mediterranean foods business performed “exceptionally well”, backed by a record Christmas trading period.
The conglomerate, founded by a group of Yorkshire pig farmers in 1972, expanded into Mediterranean foods seven years ago, when it snapped up Katsouris Brothers, a Wembley-based food manufacturer specialising in Greek and Mediterranean foods like olives, feta and halloumi. In 2021 it then acquired Ramona’s Kitchen, a London-based maker of naturally vegan houmous and falafel , falafels, dips and plant-based burgers.
Since then, it has continued growing the Ramona’s brand. It has also completed its humus facility in Great Manchester, giving it a solid platform to support continued growth in its Mediterranean foods category. It is also widening its range of dips and platters, as it focuses on “sharing” and high protein products to appeal to health-conscious customers.
The firm said consumers are increasingly looking for “nutritionally balanced, calorie‑conscious diets”, saying innovation in healthy ranges is reinforcing this consumer trend.
Cranswick told shareholders: “Continental and Mediterranean Products delivered strong revenue growth in the year, supported by continued momentum at the Bury and Katsouris facilities and increasing volumes from the Worsley site. At Bury, new retail business was successfully onboarded, while strong demand for festive Mediterranean grazing platters contributed to a record Christmas trading period.
“Growth at Katsouris Brothers reflected new halloumi business together with co-packing volumes for a branded snacking range. Ramona’s further strengthened its leadership position in the houmous category, supported by award-winning innovation across new flavour launches. The Worsley site also onboarded own-label retail houmous business with two retail partners during the year.
“Across our Mediterranean Foods portfolio, innovation continues to support growth through an expanding range of premium dips, platters, hot tapas and sharing products. These ranges remain well aligned to evolving consumer demand for sharing occasions, grazing formats and high-protein snacking.”
Adam Couch, Cranswick’s CEO, added: “As we enter the new financial year, I am encouraged by the continued development of the business and the robust demand for our product ranges. The range of growth opportunities available to the group continues to expand and we remain well positioned to deliver on our strategy.
“Looking ahead, the strengths of the business, which include its diverse and longstanding customer base, breadth and quality of products and channels, robust financial position and industry leading infrastructure will support the further development of Cranswick in the current financial year and over the longer-term.”
The firm used the London Stock Exchange announcement to pay tribute to Jim Bloom, one of the group’s founders.
It added: “It is with great sadness that we mark the passing of Jim Bloom, one of Cranswick’s founding farmers and a former chairman. Jim played a pivotal role in the formation and development of the business and served as Chairman for more than 13 years until his retirement in 2004. 2025 marked Cranswick’s 50th anniversary. Jim helped shape the foundations of this legacy and his influence is clear in the strength of the business today. He will be greatly missed.”
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