European poultry firm Plukon Food Group has acquired a 100% stake in Spanish agricultural wholesaler Grupo de Gestión Empresarial Avícola VMR.

VMR supplies chicken products to local retail, wholesale and food services markets under the Gallus Gallus brand.

With nearly 550 employees, VMR produces and processes chicken products for local retail, wholesale and food services markets. It operates production sites in Madrid and Cáceres.

VMR operates its slaughterhouse, which gets its supplies from its poultry chain.

Plukon Food Group CEO Peter Poortinga said: “The acquisition of VMR fits Plukon’s European ambition to become a leading player in the production and marketing of poultry in Europe.

“With the addition of Spain as a sixth home country, Plukon has created a production and sales area in Europe with over 260 million consumers, almost 60% of EU residents after Brexit.”

Neither company has divulged the financial details of the deal.

Plukon supplies innovative chicken and meal products to the European market.

With more than 5,500 employees, it operates production facilities in the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Poland and France.

The company had a turnover of €1.8bn last year and has targeted €2bn this year.

Recently, it entered the vegetable processing sector with the acquisition of Fresh Care Convenience in Dronten, the Netherlands.