14^th  January 2016

HILTON FOOD GROUP PLC

TRADING STATEMENT FOR THE 53 WEEKS ENDED 3^rd  JANUARY 2016

Hilton Food Group plc ("Hilton" or the "Group"), the leading specialist international meat packing business, is today providing an update on trading for the 53 weeks ended 3^rd  January 2016. The Group intends to publish its full year results on 31^st  March 2016.

We are pleased to report that the Group has performed ahead of the Board's expectations. In Western Europe additional volumes were delivered in both the UK, which benefitted from the recent capacity expansion, as well as in Holland, where the business has performed well. Volume growth in these countries was partly offset by lower demand in Denmark, whilst volumes in Sweden remained steady. In Central Europe, which remains a competitive environment, the Group's performance has been in line with our expectations, with growth achieved in Poland, Hungary and the Baltic states.

Hilton's joint venture in Australia continues to make good progress. The Victoria plant has successfully started up production and we are pleased to confirm that it continues to meet its rollout schedule whilst maintaining high service levels.

Although the environment remains competitive, the outlook for 2016 remains positive. The Group's financial position remains strong, leaving us well positioned for future expansion.  We remain well placed to deliver continued growth over the medium term and will continue to explore further opportunities to develop our business in both domestic and overseas markets.   

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