Humber food producer Cranswick Plc has seen revenues and profits jump on the back of making meaty investments across the business.
The Hull company employs more than 16,000 people across 23 Ƶ facilities, including seven factories in Hull producing products including sausages, chicken and its gourmet range, with a number of farms in the region supplying the sites. Cranswick has now announced results for the 26 weeks ended September 27 2025, hailing a strong period with revenues rising 10.4% to £1.468bn, and a 24.6% rise in operating profit to £117.1m.
Pre-tax profits rose 21.1% to £109.2m and earnings per share rocketed by 21.1% to £150.2p. The supermarket supplier hailed total investments in the period of £89m across its processing and farming asset base during the period, to support future growth and drive further operating efficiencies.
Directors said strong demand for its premium pork and poultry categories reflected consumers’ “desire for high quality, healthy, nutritious food which is both versatile and great value”. Investments included the £30m expansion of its two Hull poultry sites, £25m on its Worsley houmous and dips facility where the fit-out is nearing completion and its own label business is now secured, and £13m investment in expansion in its Eye, Suffolk, site.
The £100m expansion of its Hull pork primary processing site is also progressing – a project which will lift capacity from 35,000 to 50,000 pigs per week at the site. Meanwhile, £14m additional investment is being made at the Lincoln pet food facility following newly secured premium business, and it also acquired the Fridaythorpe feed mill towards the end of the period, significantly expanding its feed milling self-sufficiency.
During the period Cranswick also invested in its farming asset base whilst increasing the size and scale of indoor and outdoor pig herds. The total number of pigs on the ground is now 13% ahead of September 2024. Cranswick also said it is conscious of the rising instances of Avian Influenza impacting British poultry production currently, and said: “We continue to observe strict biosecurity measures and there has been no adverse impact on our farms to date”.
Adam Couch, Cranswick’s chief executive officer, said: “Our positive start to the year continued through the second quarter, with strong volume-led revenue growth across all product categories driven by new business wins, a positive contribution from recent acquisitions, strengthened alignment to our key, long-standing retail partners and our unrelenting focus on quality, service and innovation across our premium added-value product ranges.
“Demand for our core pork and poultry categories remains robust, underpinned by their relative affordability and consumer preference for natural protein as part of a healthy, balanced diet. We are well placed to maintain the positive momentum generated during the period into the second half of the financial year as we build towards our peak Christmas trading period.
“We invested £89m in our industry-leading asset base during the period to provide the platform for further growth and to generate strong returns. This investment will expand capacity, drive automation and enhance operating efficiencies, allowing us to strengthen our capability to deliver premium, added-value products for our customers.
“We continue to invest at pace across our pig and poultry farming operations with £25m spent in the period to increase security of supply and transition to lower poultry stocking densities. The addition of the Fridaythorpe feed mill brings greater self-sufficiency in pig feed production for our northern pig farms, and we are delighted to welcome the full Fridaythorpe team to Cranswick.
“I would again like to thank our brilliant Cranswick colleagues for their continued support and commitment. Our continued positive progress is made possible by our industry-leading asset infrastructure, robust financial position and the unrivalled capability of our colleagues across the business. These strong foundations will allow Cranswick to continue to prosper both in the current financial year and over the long-term.”
The results come two weeks after Cranswick announced that it was to plough , triggered by claims of pig cruelty at three of its farms.
The FTSE 250 firm faced claims of pig abuse at Mere Farm, near Barton-upon-Humber, and at Northmoor and Somerby Top – three farms acquired by Cranswick in 2023 – when images and footage released by campaigners Animal Justice Project appeared to show mistreatment of animals.
In its interim results, Cranswick said: “We accept in full the findings of the report and we will action the recommendations to further improve our practices related to the health and welfare of the pigs that we produce. We are committed to continue strengthening our animal welfare standards across our pig and poultry farming operations.”
The interim dividend has been increased by 8.0% to 27.0p per share and will be paid in January.
