Britain’s biggest fresh milk company, Robert Wiseman Dairies, is to be taken over by the German Müller Dairy in a deal worth almost £280m.

Wiseman provides about 30% of the fresh milk consumed in the UK every day and operates seven dairies. The family-owned business was set up in East Kilbride in 1944.

Executive chairman Robert Wiseman said: “The combination of Müller and Wiseman makes strong commercial and strategic sense, creating a leading integrated dairy business in the United Kingdom with complementary positions in the yogurt and potted desserts market and the fresh milk market.”

Management is expected to stay in place after the deal.

“Wiseman has its origins as a family business and, since listing in 1994, my family has retained a significant stake in the business. It is heartening to know that the business will become part of another family-owned business in Müller,” Wiseman added.

Müller chief executive Heiner Kamps said: “This is an exciting strategic move by Müller to enter a new market segment in the UK. The combination of these complementary businesses will form a leading dairy player.”