Birmingham food entrepreneur Ranjit Boparan has invested £5.1 million in a Yorkshire group of butcher's.

Mr Boparan, who owns 2 Sisters Food Group, has taken a 29.9 per cent stake in AIM-listed Crawshaws.

There is also a warrant for Mr Boparan to acquire a further 20.1 per cent of the Rotherham-based group while Jim McCarthy, the former chief executive of Willenhall-based Poundland, has been appointed chairman.

2 Sisters supplies meat products to supermarkets and also owns brands such as Goodfella's pizza and Harry Ramsden's fish and chip restaurants.

Crawshaws was founded in Yorkshire in 1954 and sells fresh meat and food from butcheries across the North and Midlands including in West Bromwich, Bilston and Cannock.

The companies have agreed a supply arrangement for an initial three years with Crawshaw receiving fresh meat and other products from 2 Sisters.

Chief executive Noel Collett said: "This is a transformational partnership for the Crawshaw Group with a significant opportunity to offer a greater range and better availability to our customers.

"This new relationship provides a catalyst to our accelerated growth, both in sales and profitability."

Mr McCarthy added: "I am delighted to be joining Crawshaw Group at such a transformational time for the business.

"There are clearly significant opportunities for further growth and, together with the 2 Sisters Food Group, we have the ideal partner to create value for both businesses."

Mr Boparan said: "This is a great opportunity that complements our corporate social responsibility policy and our aim to reduce levels of quality food that would otherwise go to waste.

"Our businesses have a significant number of opportunities to work through together in the coming weeks and months."