Acquisition strengthens Alliance Group integration and deepens Dawn Meats’ presence in the German market.
Dawn Meats has completed the acquisition of Alexander Eyckeler GmbH, a Germany-based meat importer and distributor, as it continues to integrate its operations with New Zealand’s Alliance Group.
The deal follows Dawn Meats’ purchase of a 65% stake in Alliance Group last November and is part of a wider strategy to move closer to key customers in core European markets.
“ It brings Dawn Meats closer to key customers in Germany”
Alexander Eyckeler GmbH is one of Alliance Group’s largest customers for lamb, mutton and venison and has supplied retail, food service and cash and carry customers across Germany for more than 25 years. The company imports, distributes and manages key accounts for Alliance’s Ashley lamb, mutton and venison brand, which holds a strong market position in Germany.
Preserving quality and service
Based in Erkrath, near Düsseldorf, Alexander Eyckeler GmbH specialises in the importing and marketing of chilled and frozen meat products from overseas. The business has long-standing ties with Alliance, with the relationship between the two companies spanning almost four decades.
Niall Browne, Chief Executive of Dawn Meats, said the acquisition would strengthen customer service and operational co-ordination. “This acquisition supports Dawn Meats’ ongoing integration with Alliance and strengthens our ability to serve customers in-market,” he said. “It brings Dawn Meats closer to key customers in Germany, improves co-ordination across supply and logistics and provides continuity for the Eyckeler team and its customers.”
Markus Wagner, managing director of Alexander Eyckeler GmbH, said the transaction marked an important milestone for the business and its partners.
“This development marks a new chapter in the company’s long-standing partnership with Alliance Group and its parent company Dawn Meats,” he said. “We are confident that the trusted relationships built over decades with all our customers and suppliers will remain at the heart of Alexander Eyckeler GmbH’s approach, with the current team continuing to manage key accounts and oversee daily operations.”
He added that customers and partners could expect continuity. “The core values of quality, service and continuity will remain unchanged, preserving the legacy established by Alexander Eyckeler and the Eyckeler family in the German market.”
James McWilliam, Alliance Commercial Director, said Alexander Eyckeler GmbH had played a central role in building the Ashley brand’s position in Germany. “The Ashley brand has a strong presence in Germany and a proud history with customers across the market,” he said. “Alexander Eyckeler GmbH has played an important role in building that presence through long-standing relationships for decades.”
The relationship between Alliance Group and the Eyckeler family began nearly 40 years ago, when the family established an exclusive butcher shop in Düsseldorf. Alexander Eyckeler, who died last year, went on to establish his own firm more than 25 years ago, developing it into a specialist importer, distributor and key account manager serving many of Germany’s leading retail, food service and cash and carry brands.
Under the terms of Dawn Meats’ investment in Alliance Group, Alliance’s farmer shareholders retain a 35% shareholding in the New Zealand business. The acquisition of Alexander Eyckeler GmbH represents another step in Dawn Meats’ strategy to align production, brands and customer relationships more closely across its international operations.
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