William Reed Business Media (WRBM), publisher of The Grocer, has confirmed the acquisition of the Allegra Foodservice business – formerly a division of Allegra Strategies.
Allegra Foodservice focuses on high-quality research and information within the restaurant, foodservice and hospitality sectors through brands such as Allegra Food Strategy Forum, Allegra Eating Out Panel, Allegra Restaurant Brand Portal and the Allegra Restaurant Leader Summit.
The portfolio complements WRBM’s existing businesses - him!, its research-based retail consultancy, M&C Report, The Publican’s Morning Advertiser, Restaurant magazine and BigHospitality.
The deal will allow Allegra Strategies to focus and expand its core coffee research practice. WRBM has also taken a minority strategic stake in Allegra’s World Coffee Portal business, which aims to become a global research and information platform for the coffee sector.
“This acquisition helps reaffirm WRBM’s position as the clear market leader for insight, news and research in the retail, foodservice and hospitality markets,” said WRBM group MD Charles Reed. “Each element is highly complementary to WRBM’s existing businesses.”
Allegra Strategies MD Jeffrey Young added: “After 15 years of producing good work in this sector, I am delighted William Reed Business Media will be taking Allegra Strategies’ Foodservice business forward into a very promising new era. WRBM’s reach within the hospitality sector will enable Allegra Foodservice to provide better services to our existing clients, as well as delivering high-quality research and analysis to a whole range of new customers.
“I am also truly excited to be working closely with highly experienced media owners, WRBM, on the development of Allegra World Coffee Portal, a specialist digital knowledge platform on coffee sector trends and analysis across the globe.”
Jill Livesey, Insight Director of him!, said: “The him! team are really excited and, with Allegra, will continue to enhance the quality of our research and insight. We have seen the trade and supply base increase its strategic focus and investment in the area of foodservice, restaurants and hospitality and we are pleased to be able to provide an enhanced service.”
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