Grocontinental's profit was up in the year it was bought by AGRO Merchants Group

Grocontinental increased pre-tax profit by almost 13% to £5.2m just before being snapped up by Dutch firm AGRO Merchants Group.

Latest figures for the Shropshire cold storage and logistics business showed that when calculated pro rata for a 12-month period ending November 2017, it reported a turnover of £36m, up 6.8% on the year before.

Pre-tax profit increased 12.7% from £4.6m in 2016.

In December 2017 Grocontinental, which was established in 1941, became part of the AGRO Merchants Group.

Its annual report said the move “gives the company a strong and sustainable structure in which to grow and prosper in the future".

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“Specifically being a member of the group gives the company advantages in being able to offer a greater breadth of solutions to its customers within a truly global framework, whilst utilising the group’s strength and enterprise in dealing with other business partners.”

Grocontinental was unable to comment as this article was published.

In September, Grocontinental took delivery of the first vehicle in the new owner's livery.