The wife of the millionaire Happy Egg Company owner claims that he owes her more than £17million in a High Court divorce battle.
Businesswoman Tracey Kent says her husband Michael, 68, who owns half of Noble Foods owes her the huge fee.
Her lawyers say Mr Kent, who lives in Monaco, promised to pay a £35million lump sum five years ago after their marriage broke down.
They say a deadline has passed but less than half has been handed over.
The wife of the millionaire Happy Egg Company owner claims that he owes her more than £17million
Mrs Kent, who runs a property development business, now wants a judge to order Mr Kent to raise cash by selling shares.
Mr Justice Holman analysed preliminary issues at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Monday.
Another judge is scheduled to oversee a trial in early 2018.
Mrs Kent, who lives near Liskeard, Cornwall, and Mr Kent were both at Monday’s hearing. Both left court without commenting.
Noble Foods, which is based in Witney, Oxfordshire, bills itself as the ‘leading supplier of fresh eggs to the major retailers’.
It also owns Happy Egg Co, the UK’s most popular free-range egg brand.
Mr Justice Holman analysed preliminary issues at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London (pictured)
Mr Justice Holman heard that Mr and Mrs Kent were both millionaires and had so far racked up more than £230,000 in lawyers’ bills.
He urged them to negotiate and said: ‘Sometimes rich people make litigation their hobby.’
The judge said there was no question that Mrs Kent was owed the money.
He said the issue for a trial judge would be time-tabling of payments.