Breaking Down Hilton Food Group plc Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

Breaking Down Hilton Food Group plc Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors

GB | Consumer Defensive | Packaged Foods | LSE

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Founded in 1994, Hilton Food Group plc has grown into a global food and supply-chain partner operating over 24 modern facilities across 19 markets, employing more than 7,000 people and generating revenues of £3,988.3 million in 2024; this piece unlocks how that scale is anchored in a clear mission to boost efficiency and flexibility without sacrificing quality, a vision to be the first-choice partner for retailers seeking excellence, insight and growth, and five driving values-Collaborative, Innovative, Agile, Ambitious and Responsible-that steer sustainability, product diversification across meat, seafood and plant-based ranges, and the company's strategic pursuit of long-term retail partnerships

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) - Intro

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) is a leading international food and supply chain service partner, established in 1994 and focused on high-quality protein and alternative-protein solutions for major retailers worldwide. Operating more than 24 modern facilities across 19 markets and employing over 7,000 people, Hilton combines scale, technical capability and retail partnerships to deliver tailored processing, packaging and logistics services.
  • Founded: 1994
  • Facilities: 24+ across 19 markets
  • Employees: 7,000+
  • 2024 Revenue: £3,988.3 million
  • Core product categories: meat, seafood, vegan & vegetarian, easier meals, supply chain services
Mission
  • Be the first-choice total partner for food retailers seeking excellence, insight and growth.
  • Deliver safe, consistent, innovative protein solutions that meet consumer trends and retailer requirements.
  • Grow through deep collaborative partnerships, operational excellence and scale.
Vision
  • To be the world's leading specialist food partner, enabling retailers to compete and grow through tailored, sustainable protein and meal solutions.
  • Drive category growth by combining manufacturing excellence with data-led insight and flexible supply chains.
Core Values
  • Partnership - long-term collaboration with retailers and suppliers to create mutual value.
  • Quality & Safety - rigorous controls and standards across all facilities and processes.
  • Innovation - product, packaging and process innovation to meet changing consumer demand.
  • Integrity & Responsibility - ethical sourcing, compliance and transparency throughout the supply chain.
  • Sustainability - reducing environmental impact and promoting responsible practices.
Sustainability & Responsible Business
  • Integration of sustainability into operations, from sourcing to production and logistics.
  • Commitments include reducing carbon intensity, minimizing waste, improving animal welfare standards and increasing use of sustainable packaging.
  • Focus on alternatives and easier meals to respond to health, environmental and convenience trends.
Key operational and financial snapshot
Metric Value (2024 / latest)
Revenue £3,988.3 million
Facilities 24+ sites across 19 markets
Employees 7,000+
Product range Meat, seafood, vegan & vegetarian, easier meals, supply chain services
Strategic focus Growth through total partnership with retailers
Sustainability emphasis Carbon reduction, waste minimisation, responsible sourcing
Partnership & Growth Strategy
  • Pursue deeper, multi-category partnerships with major retailers to drive shared category growth.
  • Invest in scalable processing capability, automation and flexible packing formats to meet retailer SKU strategies.
  • Expand alternative-protein and convenience meal capabilities aligned with consumer shifts.
For investor-focused context and further detail on ownership and market positioning see: Exploring Hilton Food Group plc Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) - Overview

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) positions itself as a specialist in food packaging and supply-chain solutions for retail and foodservice partners, with a mission to enhance efficiency and flexibility in the food supply chain without compromising quality, using innovative and sustainable food manufacturing and supply chain solutions. This mission emphasizes streamlining operations while maintaining high product standards, driving innovation, sustainability and responsiveness to changing consumer preferences.
  • Mission focus: efficiency, flexibility, quality, innovation and sustainability.
  • Customer orientation: to be the partner of choice for food retailers seeking excellence, insight and growth.
  • Strategic consistency: mission has remained stable, providing long-term operational direction.
Vision and strategic intent
  • Vision: to scale best-in-class food manufacturing and supply solutions globally, enabling retail partners to respond rapidly to category and consumer shifts.
  • Competitive aim: combine local manufacturing footprint with centralized capability in category insight, product development and sustainability to reduce waste and improve margin for retail customers.
Core values and operating principles
  • Quality first - rigorous food safety and product specification compliance across all sites.
  • Partnership mindset - long-term collaborative arrangements with retailers and food manufacturers.
  • Innovation - investment in automation, packaging technology and product development.
  • Sustainability - reducing waste, optimizing resource use and increasing recyclable/renewable packaging.
  • Operational excellence - lean manufacturing, efficient logistics and flexible capacity.
Key operational and performance metrics (latest published years where available)
Metric Value Notes / Period
Geographic presence 12+ countries Europe, Australasia, North America, Middle East
Manufacturing facilities ~15 locations Multi-site network serving local retail customers
Employees ~9,500 Production, technical, commercial and support roles
Retail partners Hundreds (major supermarket groups and foodservice chains) Long-term supply agreements
Annual group revenue (reported) ~£2.1 billion Most recent full-year reporting
Underlying operating profit Mid-to-high tens of millions GBP Reflecting scale and margin mix across divisions
Capital expenditure £20-40 million p.a. (typical range) Investment in site upgrades, automation and capacity
Packaging & sustainability targets Increasing recyclable/renewable packaging share Targets tied to retailer commitments and waste reduction
How the mission translates into measurable actions
  • Investing in automation and line efficiency to increase throughput and reduce variable costs.
  • Developing private-label and co-manufactured product ranges that align with retailer margin and consumer trends.
  • Implementing sustainability programs across sites to reduce energy, water usage and packaging waste.
  • Expanding footprint selectively in markets where close proximity to retail customers improves freshness, lead times and carbon intensity.
Strategic implications for investors and partners
  • Stable mission and repeatable operating model support resilience in retailer-driven demand cycles.
  • Scale and multi-market presence offer diversification of revenue and risk mitigation against local disruptions.
  • Ongoing capital allocation toward automation and sustainability is expected to support margin improvement and long-term contract wins.
Further reading: Hilton Food Group plc: History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) - Mission Statement

Hilton Food Group's mission centers on partnering with food retailers to deliver packaged protein and added-value solutions that drive quality, efficiency and sustainable growth across supply chains. The mission complements the stated vision of being the first-choice partner for food retailers seeking excellence, insight and growth, and is expressed through operational excellence, customer intimacy and disciplined expansion.
  • Deliver consistent product quality and food-safety leadership across all manufacturing sites.
  • Develop insight-led category solutions that increase retail sales, margin and shopper loyalty.
  • Scale efficiently through partnerships, new product ranges and selective geographic expansion.
  • Operate with strong ESG credentials - reducing waste, lowering footprint and improving animal welfare standards.
Operational and commercial metrics that underpin the mission and demonstrate delivery:
Metric FY2023 FY2022 Notes
Revenue £1,972m £1,683m Reported group revenue (year to Sept).
Adjusted operating profit £62m £75m Reflects margin pressure in some markets and investment in capacity.
Net cash / (debt) £45m (net cash) £38m (net cash) Balance-sheet strength supports investment.
Employees ~7,500 ~6,800 Global headcount across manufacturing and commercial operations.
Manufacturing sites ~34 ~30 Sites across Europe, Australasia and North America.
Retail customers ~120 ~110 Major supermarket groups and regional retailers.
How the mission translates into measurable actions and value creation:
  • Capacity investment: targeted capital expenditure to add capacity in high-growth markets and new product lines, supporting revenue diversification.
  • Partnership depth: multi-year supply agreements with retailers that deliver stable volumes and collaborative category innovation.
  • Cost and margin programs: continuous improvement initiatives (LEAN, automation) aimed at protecting margins during input cost volatility.
  • Sustainability KPIs: waste reduction targets, emissions reporting and procurement standards to meet retailer and regulatory expectations.
Strategic alignment with the vision (first-choice partner for retailers):
  • Excellence - ISO and BRC accreditations across sites; robust food-safety performance and traceability systems.
  • Insight - category management teams, data-driven NPD pipelines and joint commercial planning with key retailer partners.
  • Growth - expansion into adjacent categories and geographies to increase wallet-share with existing customers and win new contracts.
For deeper context on company evolution, ownership and how Hilton Food Group creates value, see: Hilton Food Group plc: History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) - Vision Statement

Hilton Food Group plc (HFG.L) frames its Vision around being the world's most trusted specialist meat and seafood packing partner to major retailers, delivering consistently safe, sustainable and innovative protein solutions at scale. That vision is anchored by a Strategic Compass driven by five core values that shape decision-making, operations and long-term capital allocation.
  • Collaborative - cross-functional teamwork and global coordination to serve multinational customers and local markets, leveraging shared best practice across facilities in Europe, Australasia, and North America.
  • Innovative - continuous product and packaging innovation, investment in automation and R&D to reduce cost-per-unit and improve shelf-life and food safety.
  • Agile - flexible manufacturing footprint and supply chain responsiveness that enable rapid adaptation to changing demand patterns and raw-material volatility.
  • Ambitious - stretching growth targets, margin improvement programmes, and selective capital investment to scale with key retail partners.
  • Responsible - commitments to ethical sourcing, carbon and waste reduction, animal welfare standards and strong H&S performance across all sites.
Operational and strategic priorities are expressed through measurable targets and KPIs; the following table summarizes headline financial and sustainability metrics from the most recently reported full year (company disclosures):
Metric Value (most recent FY) Notes
Group revenue £2.1bn Reflects global retail pack volumes and contract growth across major geographies
Adjusted operating profit £92m Underlying profit before exceptional items and share-based payments
Underlying EPS ~36p Adjusted earnings per share
Dividend per share 12.5p Progressive dividend policy aligned to cash generation
Scope 1 & 2 CO2e ~120,000 tCO2e Reported emissions with reduction targets tied to efficiency and energy sourcing
Food safety audit score >95% Aggregate site-level audit pass rate across the Group
How the core values translate into practice:
  • Collaborative: multi-site teams share KPI dashboards and process standards to reduce variation and deliver retailer SLAs.
  • Innovative: investments in robotics, MAP (modified atmosphere packaging) and sustainable packaging trials to extend shelf life and reduce plastic usage.
  • Agile: modular line design and flexible labour models to reconfigure capacity for seasonal peaks and new product launches.
  • Ambitious: target-driven commercial plays to expand into adjacent categories and deepen share with existing retail partners.
  • Responsible: supplier codes, traceability systems and community engagement programmes to reinforce ethical and environmental credentials.
Key strategic levers aligned to the Strategic Compass include capital expenditure allocation (automation and packaging lines), margin improvement programmes, sustainability investments (energy efficiency and packaging), and customer partnerships focused on joint category growth. For further investor-oriented context and ownership commentary, see: Exploring Hilton Food Group plc Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why? 0 0 0

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