History
Established in 1970s, the Leo Group is a privately owned company, with more than 400 employees located across 10 commercial/operational sites throughout the UK.
Founded by Margaret and Leo Sawrij in the 1970s, Leo Group Ltd was initially called Swalesmoor Mink Farm. They bought the 10 acre property in 1971 and began breeding mink and then maggots. They ultimately created the foundations for the variety of different trading roots Leo Group still operate today, as offal trading began from having a surplus of food bought for feeding to the maggots.
The business came under new management from current managing director Danny Sawrij in 1988 and was re-named Leo Sawrij Ltd, in memory of the founder in 1993.
Following the abolishment of mink farming in the UK, the business focused on maggot trading to the fishing industry. Leo Sawrij Ltd. became the biggest producer of maggots supplying Belgium, Germany, Italy, France and Holland.
In 1993 Danny Sawrij sold 90% of his beef cattle stock, injecting the funds into the Maggot business.
In 1999, the company made their first acquisition of a rendering plant facility. This was the start of Omega Proteins Limited, and the companies involvement within the rendering industry.
Leo Group also acquired 2 knacker businesses creating Robinson Mitchell Limited in 1999, and began the collection of fallen stock.
In 2001, the Group acquired Gothards.
In 2002 the company purchased a sister rendering plant, Alba Proteins Limited with sites in Penrith, Dumfries and Aberdeen.
The company purchased NuPetra in 2004.
2005 saw the purchase of 2 companies, Goodwill Fats & Proteins and Premier Pet Food.
2007 also saw the construction of modern and more efficient facilities at Halifax Pet Food.
The following year, in 2008, Leo Group branched further North securing ownership of Kintore rendering plant Aberdeenshire. In the same year, a site was purchased from Oran.
This final acquisition transformed Leo Group from a small family business into a highly successful, fully fledged organization.
The company is both self-financing and self-sustaining. We have moved with the times, adjusting our core business to align with market forces, ensuring that we are a robust operator with a bright future.
The key to our success has been sound business acumen, together with a number of sound business acquisitions. We have a strategy of re-investment in new, efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies and equipment throughout, as well as the ability to identify and grasp emerging opportunities ahead of our competitors.
