Hain Celestial has ramped up its soup portfolio with the acquisition of Yorkshire Provender, in a deal announced today (16 February).
Details have not been disclosed, but the purchase of the 10-year-old business is likely to face close scrutiny by the Competition & Markets Authority given Hain’s ownership of the popular New Covent Garden Soup Co and Cully & Sully soup brands.
Founded in 2007 by Belinda and Terry Williams, Yorkshire Provender’s premium branded soup products are available from leading retailers, on-the-go food outlets and foodservice providers throughout the UK.
Set to continue to operate from its current location in Ripon, North Yorkshire, the business notched up approximately £6m in net sales in calendar year 2016, and is expected to be accretive to Hain Celestial’s earnings in fiscal year 2018 as part of the Hain Daniels subsidiary.
“This is a significant milestone,” said Belinda Williams. “We look forward to working with the Hain Daniels team to continue our growth in new and existing customers.”
The Williams were welcomed to the “Hain Celestial family” by the company’s founder, president and CEO Irwin D Simon, who said he looked forward to “working with the Yorkshire Provender team in leading the next chapter of the brand’s development”.
He added: “Yorkshire Provender has a premium brand positioning that complements our New Covent Garden Soup Co and Cully & Sully brands in the United Kingdom.”
Hain Daniels CEO James Skidmore said: “We are excited to work together with the Yorkshire Provender team and leverage our combined infrastructures to drive future growth. This transaction expands the depth of our soup offering with Yorkshire Provender’s gluten-free, delicious premium recipes and flavours.”
The acquisition comes after Hain Celestial was given the green light by the CMA in September to sell its UK own-label freshly squeezed fruit juice business to Multiple Marketing, owner of the Sunmagic juice and smoothie brand. The move was in response to the competition regulator’s warning to Hain that it faced an in-depth investigation into its acquisition of Orchard House Foods if it did not unload parts of its business.
No comments yet