KPMG pulls off £150m pension buy-in for Dairy Crest
Big Four firm leads successful efforts to get the pension fund of the UK's leading chilled dairy foods company shored up by Legal & General despite tricky market coniditions
A deal which has secured a £150m pension buy-in for Dairy Crest, the UK’s
leading chilled dairy foods producer pension liability, was spearheaded by KPMG.
Backed up by Aon, Mercer and Clifford Chance, the firm led efforts to secure
the insurance for the company from Legal & General Assurance Society
Limited.
However, the policy only insures about half of the liability for pensions in
payment at Dairy Crest, which owns household brands including Davidstow Cheddar,
Clover and flavoured milk drink Frijj.
As at 30 September 2008, the fund had total liabilities of £658m on an IAS19
basis.
KPMG pensions partner Ben McDonald, said: ‘We are pleased that a commercial
deal could be struck that meets the long term objectives of both the company and
Trustee, despite the turbulent times currently prevailing within financial
markets.
‘This transaction was slightly different to many others – insuring only part
of the pensioner liabilities and being completed only a few weeks after
receiving a suitable insurance quotation.’
‘The policy covers around half of the Fund’s liability for pensions in
payment, providing flexibility for Dairy Crest and the trustee to explore
further similar arrangements in the future.’ Dairy Crest added.