Brakes has bought catering butcher Browns Food Service in its third acquisition of 2010.
Browns will still be run as an independent business, led by its current MD Andrew Dalton, and would "sit comfortably alongside" Brakes' range of specialist businesses, such as Prime Meats, Brakes said.
The acquisition would expand Brakes' customer base, strengthen its range of meats and add a specialist meat-cutting facility to its portfolio of businesses, the company said.
In turn, Brakes would help Browns expand its footprint into the rest of the UK by transporting Browns' products on its own lorries and letting Browns' 40 vans use its network of depots.
"I am delighted that, through the acquisition of Browns Food Service, we are able to significantly strengthen our meat and butchery offer to customers," said Brakes Group chief operating officer Ian Goldsmith, who refused to disclose how much it had paid for Browns. "It is absolutely complementary to the Prime Meats business and we now have a bespoke cutting facility."
Browns was "a highly respected specialist" with a loyal customer base, respected brand, wide product range and strong industry reputation, he added.
Its turnover increased by 0.5% to £21.6m in the year ending June 2009, according to accounts filed at Companies House. It made pre-tax losses of £20,061 against pre-tax profits of £55,809 the previous year. The business was currently profitable, Goldsmith said.
"It is great to be a part of the Brakes Group," said Dalton. "It is a very strong foodservice company and its business strengths and expertise will help us offer excellent products and service as well as providing new opportunities for the future."
In 2008, Brakes purchased French foodservice provider Rault, frozen specialist Woodward Foodservice and O'Kane Food Service in Ireland. It bought UK chilled specialist FreshFayre in January and Swedish foodservice provider Menigo in March.
Browns will still be run as an independent business, led by its current MD Andrew Dalton, and would "sit comfortably alongside" Brakes' range of specialist businesses, such as Prime Meats, Brakes said.
The acquisition would expand Brakes' customer base, strengthen its range of meats and add a specialist meat-cutting facility to its portfolio of businesses, the company said.
In turn, Brakes would help Browns expand its footprint into the rest of the UK by transporting Browns' products on its own lorries and letting Browns' 40 vans use its network of depots.
"I am delighted that, through the acquisition of Browns Food Service, we are able to significantly strengthen our meat and butchery offer to customers," said Brakes Group chief operating officer Ian Goldsmith, who refused to disclose how much it had paid for Browns. "It is absolutely complementary to the Prime Meats business and we now have a bespoke cutting facility."
Browns was "a highly respected specialist" with a loyal customer base, respected brand, wide product range and strong industry reputation, he added.
Its turnover increased by 0.5% to £21.6m in the year ending June 2009, according to accounts filed at Companies House. It made pre-tax losses of £20,061 against pre-tax profits of £55,809 the previous year. The business was currently profitable, Goldsmith said.
"It is great to be a part of the Brakes Group," said Dalton. "It is a very strong foodservice company and its business strengths and expertise will help us offer excellent products and service as well as providing new opportunities for the future."
In 2008, Brakes purchased French foodservice provider Rault, frozen specialist Woodward Foodservice and O'Kane Food Service in Ireland. It bought UK chilled specialist FreshFayre in January and Swedish foodservice provider Menigo in March.
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