Culina Group

What Culina Group does

Culina Group is the UK's largest privately owned logistics provider, founded in 1994 and headquartered in Market Drayton with a Group head office in Warrington. The company delivers integrated food and drink supply chain management — chilled and ambient transport, warehousing, co-packing, e-commerce fulfilment, pallet network services and cross-channel European logistics — through a portfolio of operating brands including Culina Logistics, Fowler Welch, CML, MMi Distribution, Great Bear, Stobart, Warrens, The Pallet Network, International Road Ferry, Stobart Europe, iForce and IPS. It serves major UK retailers and FMCG manufacturers such as Tesco, Unilever, Mondelez, Nestlé, Weetabix, General Mills, Alpro and Innocent, operating from 100+ sites across the UK and Ireland with ~20 million sq ft of warehousing and a fleet of 5,500+ vehicles (per the 2021 GreenWhiteStar acquisition disclosures). The technology stack centres on GPS shipment tracking, an in-house live pallet tracking system, the tri-modal Port Salford facility (road/rail/water) and the TechHub innovation department launched in 2022; revenue is generated through long-term contract-based B2B relationships rather than transactional pricing. The group is privately held, founder-influenced (Thomas van Mourik previously as CEO), and has been led since February 2025 by CEO Liam McElroy alongside Deputy Group CEO Fabian Koehler.

Name

Culina Group

Legal name

Culina Logistics Limited

Website

https://culina.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Culina Group is the UK's largest privately owned logistics provider, offering chilled, ambient, e-commerce fulfilment, pallet network and cross-channel European services to major retailers and FMCG manufacturers through 100+ sites, ~20 million sq ft of warehousing and a 5,500-vehicle fleet.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Third-Party Logistics Services

NAICS

General Warehousing and Storage (493110), Warehousing and Storage (493)

SIC

Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731)

akta.pro primary industry

Temperature-Controlled Warehousing (Chilled/Frozen) (TLAIACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Contract Packing for Food & Beverage (Co-Manufacturing Adjacent, Portioning, Case Packing) (TLAIAGAH), Reverse Logistics & Returns Management (Repair, Refurb, Recycling) (TLAIAAAH), Cross-Border Returns & Reverse Logistics (International) (TLAAANAH)

Keywords

• Third-party logistics
• Chilled supply chain
• Ambient distribution
• Co-packing services
• Warehousing solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Market Drayton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Services: Provides comprehensive supply chain management services for food and drink products including warehousing, transportation, and distribution. Revenue generated through long-term contracts with major retailers and FMCG manufacturers.
2. Co-packing and Contract Manufacturing: IPS subsidiary provides co-packing, co-filling and co-manufacturing solutions. Revenue from packaging services for major brands.
3. E-commerce Fulfilment: iForce subsidiary provides e-commerce fulfilment, returns processing and carrier management services.
4. Labour Resource Provision: Industrial support services including staffing solutions for logistics and warehouse operations.
5. Pallet Network Services: The Pallet Network facilitates pallet deliveries across UK, Ireland and Europe through cross-dock facilities.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Culina Group provides third-party logistics (3PL) services for food and drink companies, including chilled and ambient warehousing, transportation, distribution, co-packing, co-manufacturing, e-commerce fulfilment, and international road ferry services. The company operates 100+ locations across the UK and Ireland with 20 million sq ft of warehousing and 5,500+ vehicles, serving major retailers, FMCG manufacturers, and niche brands through long-term contracts.

Product overview

Culina Group is a leading UK food and drink logistics provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of supply chain solutions across three main service areas: Chilled Logistics Solutions (Culina Logistics, Fowler Welch, CML, MMi Distribution), Ambient Logistics Solutions (Great Bear, Stobart, Warrens, The Pallet Network, International Road Ferry, Stobart Europe), and Industrial Support Services (iForce, IPS). Operating from 100+ locations with over 2,000 trucks, the company delivers integrated warehousing, transportation, e-commerce fulfilment, contract packing, and international transport services to major retailers and manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• iForce: E-commerce fulfilment, returns processing and carrier management services with in-house technology infrastructure. Operating over 2.5 million sq. ft. of warehousing and processing over 20 million parcels per year.
• IPS
• Culina Logistics
• Fowler Welch
• Great Bear
• Stobart
• Stobart Europe
• Warrens
• The Pallet Network
• International Road Ferry

Products and services

• Culina Logistics (Chilled Logistics Solutions) Integrated supply chain services and expertise for food and drink products requiring strict refrigerated temperatures, providing comprehensive chilled logistics solutions across the UK and Ireland.
• Fowler Welch (Fresh Produce Logistics) Fresh produce sector logistics specialist providing time critical distribution solutions for major retailers, growers, and manufacturers across the UK.
• CML (Chilled Logistics Solutions) Integrated supply chain services for food and drink products requiring strict refrigerated temperatures, serving discount retailers.
• Great Bear Distribution Distribution services to FMCG clients with customer-centric service focus delivered through site-level empowered culture.
• Stobart (Ambient Transport and Logistics) Leading ambient transport and logistics business providing services to many of the UK's best known brands across core consumer and retail sectors.
• Warrens Group (Baked Goods Logistics) Baked goods transport and warehouse services with trusted reputation for customer care, flexibility, speed, and responsiveness.
• International Road Ferry (IRF) Specialises in unaccompanied transport between Great Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, and Switzerland, handling both full loads and part loads.
• Stobart Europe (Pan-European Logistics) Automotive and general cargo divisions with pan-European and cross-channel services, operating from depots in Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Germany, and Bulgaria.
• The Pallet Network (TPN) Facilitates pallet deliveries across the UK, Ireland, and Europe through cross dock facilities at Minworth, Coventry, and Preston.
• MMi Distribution (Müller Milk & Ingredients Joint Venture) Partnership between Culina Group and Müller Milk & Ingredients managing dairy distribution operations.
• iForce (E-commerce Fulfilment) E-commerce fulfilment, returns processing, and carrier management services with in-house technology infrastructure, operating over 2.5 million sq ft of warehousing and processing over 20 million parcels per year.
• IPS (Industrial Packaging Solutions - Co-packing and Co-manufacturing) Cost effective and innovative co-packing, co-filling, and co-manufacturing solutions for major brands in the UK, operating 750,000 sq ft of co-packing space with 200 packing lines, producing 500 million units and 100 million cases yearly.
• TechHub (Logistics Innovation Department) Innovation department creating cutting-edge logistics technologies, established as a radically new concept in UK 3PL to establish Culina Group as the UK's most technologically advanced third-party logistics provider.

Quantifiable outcome

• 98.7% on-time delivery performance for Weetabix contract (12-month consecutive)
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Allwood's RecyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Allwood's Recycling at iForce House for environmental best practice, achieving Bronze Green World Award. Focus on reducing carbon emissions, cutting food waste, and improving recycling performance across plastics, cardboard, metals and wood streams. Collaboration includes pallet recovery/reuse and high-grade recyclable plastics improvement.
• Müller Milk & IngredientscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture MMiD (Müller Milk & Ingredients Distribution) created in 2019 to manage distribution operations for Müller Milk & Ingredients using Culina Group's logistics expertise.
• Warrens GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture effective March 2018, combining Culina Group's logistics capabilities with Warrens Group's dominance in baked goods logistics (bread, cake and patisserie services). Strengthened market position in UK.
• Surplus2PurposeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for diverting surplus materials to community use at iForce House locations.
• Community Wood RecyclingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for diverting surplus materials to community use at iForce House locations.
• Salvation ArmyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for diverting surplus materials to community use at iForce House locations.
• FareSharecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership enabling donation of surplus food that has provided more than 3 million meals to over 1,800 charities across the UK.
• Team Parker RacingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership supporting Olli Meadows in Porsche Carrera Cup GB 2026 season as part of Eventor's motorsport sponsorship programme.
• Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 TeamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEventor partnership supporting F1 team's ground-breaking mission to reduce emissions through biofuel use, achieving 89% reduction in CO2 freight emissions during European season.
• GreenWhiteStar Acquisitions (Eddie Stobart, iForce, The Pallet Network, The Logistics People)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcquisition in July 2021 creating £2.2 billion FMCG logistics business with ~22,000 staff, 20 million sq ft of warehousing and 5,500+ vehicles.

Scale indicators16 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Kuehne+Nagel: Top-tier global logistics provider with significant UK contract logistics operations. Overlaps with Culina on integrated warehousing, transport and value-added services for retail/FMCG customers.
• DHL Supply Chain: Largest global 3PL with extensive UK operations across FMCG, retail and life sciences. Comparable on multi-service integrated contract logistics at greater scale and broader geographic footprint.
• XPO Logistics: Major European and North American contract logistics provider serving FMCG, retail and industrial customers. Comparable in contract warehousing/transport breadth though with a heavier industrial mix.

Direct peers

• Wincanton: UK-focused 3PL serving retail, FMCG and e-commerce customers with warehousing, transport and contract packing — overlapping service portfolio and customer base with Culina's ambient/chilled and iForce offerings.
• GXO Logistics: Global contract logistics provider with significant UK operations following the Wincanton acquisition. Directly comparable as a large-scale, multi-vertical 3PL serving FMCG and retail customers with warehousing and distribution services.
• CEVA Logistics: Global 3PL (CMA CGM subsidiary) operating contract logistics and finished goods distribution for FMCG and retail customers in the UK and Europe — comparable scale and customer verticals to Culina.
• Yusen Logistics: Global contract logistics provider with UK operations serving retail and consumer goods customers, including shared-user warehousing models directly comparable to Culina's shared-user food & drink network.
• Bidvest Noonan (now part of Bidvest): UK contract services and logistics provider with warehousing, distribution and value-added services for retail/FMCG — overlapping service offering and customer base with Culina's ambient logistics subsidiaries.

Regional players

• LKW WALTER: Austrian-headquartered European transport and logistics provider with full-load and part-load services across continental Europe; comparable to Culina's IRF and Stobart Europe in pan-European unaccompanied/ambient transport.

Others

• Royal Mail / IDS Group (InPost): UK parcel and e-commerce fulfilment operators with logistics capabilities adjacent to Culina's iForce parcel network and The Pallet Network operations; relevant ecosystem peer rather than direct 3PL competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/culina_group

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Culina Group