Osborne Clarke advises Müller UK & Ireland on sale of doorstep delivery service Milk & More to Freshways Group
Bristol-based lawyers at international law firm Osborne Clarke have advised Müller UK & Ireland on its sale of Milk & More, an online artisan grocery and doorstep delivery service, to dairy product supplier Freshways Group.
Müller acquired Milk & More in 2016 when it invested in Dairy Crest’s wider liquid milk processing and distribution operation. Since this initial acquisition, Müller has broadened Milk & More’s product offering, including a range of sustainability-focused products, and deployed a large fleet of electric vehicles for delivery.
Müller’s sale of Milk & More comes after a strategic review of the business, with Müller continuing to operate as a B2B supplier of fresh milk, yoghurt and other dairy products.
The Osborne Clarke team advising on the transaction included Bristol-based partners Ed Barratt (commercial) and Anna Elliott (human capital), along with other partners Edward Persse (corporate), Jo Footitt (real estate) and Mat Oliver (tax), plus senior associate John Jarvis and associates Rachel Barbour and Mary Hughes (all corporate).
Patrick Müller, CEO of Milk & More, said: “It was impressive to work with the Osborne Clarke team, led by their corporate partner Ed Persse. Their professionalism, accuracy and speed were truly outstanding. Thanks a lot for bringing the deal over the line before Christmas.”
Edward Persse said: “I am immensely proud of the Osborne Clarke retail and consumer team to have supported Müller Group on this unique transaction. We wish all of the Milk & More stakeholders, and particularly our milk men and women, every success with this iconic business that is so dear to many of us. This transaction is illustrative of the calibre of retail and consumer sector M&A we are instructed on.”
Osborne Clarke is considered a go-to firm for many companies in the retail sector, acting for house-hold name retailers and in-demand brands while also working with fast-growth start-ups and market challengers. The international firm advises at every stage of company development and on everything from eCommerce, payments and brand, right through to employee and property issues, fulfilment, franchises and corporate governance and regulation across multiple jurisdictions.
