A family-owned dairy processing company today announced it has been sold to a national milk co-operative.

Tanner Foods, which employs 90 people at its plant in Oxford Lane, Sible Hedingham, has been sold to Milk Link, a dairy farmer co-operative based in Plymouth, for an undisclosed sum.

The Tanner family, current shareholders in Tanner Foods, said terms for the business acquisition had been agreed.

Ann Tanner, chief executive of Tanner Foods, said: "This deal represents a wonderful opportunity for a local company and its employees to benefit from the opportunity and security offered by one of the most progressive dairy co-operatives in the UK.

"Our family is thrilled our company, which we have fought so hard to build, is to become the flagship of Milk Link's future in dairy processing."

Tanner Foods, which had a turnover last year of £26 million, processes and packages long-life milk and is the second largest long-life milk processor in the country.

Milk Link is a dairy farmer co-operative, with 2,700 members farming in the south west of England, which collects and markets 1.4 billion litres of milk each year, 10 per cent of the UK total milk production.

Karen Tanner, Tanner Foods spokeswoman, said the move will ensure the long-term future of employees at the Sible Hedingham plant and could result in the creation of new jobs.

Tanner Foods will keep its name and will be run as a 100 per cent owned separate subsidiary of Milk Link.

Mike Newitt, deputy managing director of Tanner Foods, will continue to run the business and will join the executive of Milk Link.

Published Tuesday, March 5, 2002