German spice producer Fuchs Group has acquired UK-based herbs and spices producer Bart Ingredients from private equity firm Langholm Capital for an undisclosed price.
Through the acquisition, Fuchs plans to continue its global growth strategy and improve its market position in the UK.
Bart Ingredients provides premium branded and private label products for the UK retail sector. The company registered total revenue of £25m in the last fiscal year.
Fuchs Group CEO Nils Meyer-Pries said: “The acquisition of Bart Ingredients complements our existing portfolio of businesses and secures more market coverage in line with our growth strategy.
“In our discussions with Bart it is clear that the philosophies and people of both companies are well matched.”
Founded in 1963, Bart Ingredients is headquartered in Bristol and has a workforce of more than 180 people. The company manufactures Cooks’ Ingredients, providing over 500 products to the market.
The ingredients manufactured by Bart Ingredients include herbs, seasonings, spices, home baking, pastes and sauces.
Bart Ingredients is credited to have launched organic and Fairtrade products in the UK market.
In 2014, the company acquired the assets of Newbury-based OTP Foods in a move to develop wet ingredients that include cooking sauces, chocolate ganache, compotes, chutneys, syrups, mayonnaises, table sauces, chilli sauces and salad dressings.
Bart’s new owner, the Fuchs Group manufactures a range of more than 7,000 products like spices, delicacies and food technology to food service players, food industry and grocery retailers.
The Fuchs Group Fuchs, headquartered in Lower Saxon Dissen, Germany has nearly 3,000 employees with operations in eight countries. Some of the brands manufactured by it are Fuchs, Bamboo Garden, Kattus, Ostmann and Ubena.
Bart Ingredients CEO David Collard said: “We are delighted to be joining the Fuchs family. We have admired their leadership in our industry and believe that our strategies are totally aligned. We look forward to developing our business as part of The Fuchs Group.”
