Thu, 19 Sep 2024 | BUSINESS SALE
Aimia Foods Limited, a food and drink manufacturing company, has been acquired by the family that initially founded it more than 40 years ago. Aimia Foods was founded by the Unsworth family in 1981 before being sold to the Cott Corporation in 2014.
The £120 million-turnover company is a food and drink manufacturing business that owns and partners with a portfolio of brands serving the UK retail market, including Drink Me Chai and Horlicks. The company also serves the “out of home” channel through brands including Milfresh, Café Nueva and Shmoo.
The Unsworth family have now re-acquired the business in a deal advised on by Clairfield partner Gary Ecob, director Toby Arrowsmith and manager Liam Hadfield. The deal will see Rob Unsworth join Aimia as chairman, with all of the current senior management team remaining in place.
The company has been supported by facilities from HSBC and Beechbrook Capital in order to accelerate its organic growth and drive investment in boosting the business’ in-house manufacturing capabilities.
Unsworth commented: "This is a special business we know very well which stands out in many ways from the competition. The business will remain headed by Paul Whitlow as MD and the leadership team will be unchanged.”
"We will also continue to support the strategic direction of the business, which is driving growth through the manufacturing and sale of branded goods within the beverage category both in the UK and overseas."
Clairfield’s Gary Ecob said: "The Unsworths have an excellent reputation in the food and drink industry and, with Rob’s extensive knowledge of the food and drink manufacturing sector, the business is well-positioned to realise further growth in the future."
Beechbrook Capital’s Paul Whitehouse added: Whitehouse added: "From the outset we recognised that Aimia is a high-quality UK manufacturing business and a market leader in its key categories.”
"The family and the management team have an impressive track record in building strong customer relationships and brands, and we look forward to seeing them develop the group further as a result of our investment."
Find out more about the trends shaping M&A activity in the UK's food and beverage sector
Also see: Global and UK Food & Beverage M&A Insight - members can also access our comprehensive list of the world's leading private equity buyers of food & beverage brands.
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