A sweet deal: the mergers and acquisitions that shaped bakery in 2024

The bakery landscape changed in 2024 with acquisitions and mergers across the industry.

As part of its reflection on the past year, British Baker looks at some of the biggest deals in 2024 and what they meant for the businesses involved:

New owners help Jones Village Bakery level up

Wrexham-based Jones Village Bakery was acquired by French bakery giant Menissez Bakery Group over the summer with ‘significant investment’ secured to help it expand.

The manufacturer has been on a transformative journey over the past few years following a devastating fire in 2019 before rebuilding and opening a 140,000 sq ft ‘super bakery’. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, with an artisanal bread line and pancake line added to the site, and major export contracts secured. All of this was backed by London-based private equity firm Limerston capital, which acquired the controlling share from the Jones family in 2021.

Following its acquisition by Menissez, Jones Village Bakery continues to be run by the existing senior management team headed by MD Robin Jones and his brother Christien, the projects director, along with operations director Simon Thorpe and commercial director Lesley Arnot.

Robin Jones said the “significant investment” by the business’ new owners will enable it to fulfil its huge growth potential and “reach a whole new level”.

Regal Food feels the love

Long-term growth through acquisition is integral to Regal Food Products Group’s future, a point the business looked to prove early on in 2024 when it purchased Yorkshire-based cake manufacturer Love Handmade Cakes for an undisclosed sum. Following the acquisition, the brand operates as an independent business but with the benefits of its new owner’s resources and investment.

It now sits amongst Regal’s portfolio of brands that includes Regal Bakery, Yorkshire Baking Company, The Cake Emporium and Just Desserts Yorkshire, which it bought in January 2022.

This wasn’t the only acquisition for Regal in 2024. It also expanded its chilled desserts portfolio with the addition of Love Cheesecakes. Notably, production was shifted from Thornton-Cleveleys near Blackpool in Lancashire to Regal’s site in Leeds – the home of Love Handmade Cakes.

And, if that wasn’t enough, the business also purchased a 45,000 sq ft warehouse in Bradford to help support its business growth.

Jacksons of Yorkshire gets a sweet deal

More acquisition activity for Yorkshire businesses came when Jacksons of Yorkshire bought sweet treat specialist Lottie Shaw’s for an undisclosed sum.

Based out of a craft bakery in Brighouse, Lottie Shaw’s uses family recipes handed down over three generations to produce a range that includes its signature Yorkshire Parkin, which is sold online and via wholesalers. Under the deal, Lottie Shaw’s continues to trade in its name and operate as a standalone business to Jacksons.

It had grown significantly under family-ownership but needed a “bigger engine” to continue on its journey. Lottie Shaw’s founders Ian and Charlotte Shaw, who remained with the firm, said they “wouldn’t have sold our business to just anyone” but that Jacksons felt like the perfect fit.

Mademoiselle acquisition creates desserts powerhouse

Sweet bakery specialist Mademoiselle Desserts was bought by Emmi Group for an enterprise value of around €900m (£755m) in the final quarter of the year.

In the UK, Mademoiselle operates three bakeries across the UK – in Maidenhead, Berkshire; in Corby, Northamptonshire; and in Taunton, Somerset – supplying sweet treats for in-store bakeries and foodservice operators. It also has nine other sites across Europe with a total workforce of 2,000.

The deal saw a ‘desserts powerhouse’ division formed at Emmi, to be headed up by Mademoiselle Desserts Group CEO Didier Boudy. This will help it to exploit global growth opportunities in the premium desserts category, positioning it as a ‘category captain’.

Rainbow Dust gets even sweeter with Squires Kitchen

Rainbow Dust strengthened its offering with the recent purchase of fellow cake decoration specialist Squires Kitchen.

Both brands are to be retained following the acquisition, with manufacturing of Squires Kitchen to be relocated to Rainbow Dust’s Preston site.

The move comes after Rainbow Dust’s own acquisition in 2023. It was snapped up by Albex Group when previous owner Real Good Food sold it shortly before entering administration. New ownership has had a transformative effect on the business, with investment, new hires, and a healthy NPD pipeline in play as it looks forward to a bright future.

Sourdough specialists stick together

International bakery supplier Bridor snapped up sourdough specialist Pandriks in April in a ‘major deal’ which boosted the former’s manufacturing capacity and product portfolio.

Pandriks now falls under the Bridor umbrella, but with its brand and values preserved. The business was founded in the Netherlands in 2012 and makes ‘artisanal inspired’ bakery products and organic bread for private label as part of in-store bakery bake-off ranges and also its consumer-facing Slooow brand. The company operates two production facilities – one in Meppel in the Netherlands and another in Fulda, Germany – from which it supplies the European and UK customers.

Samworth gets hot to go on food-to-go

Samworth Brothers added premium food-to-go supplier The Real Wrap Co to its portfolio as it looks to capitalise on growth in the food-to-go market.

The manufacturing giant, which counts Higgidy, Ginsters, and Urban Eat among its stable, took a minority share in the business last July but picked up the remaining shares in April.

Samworth Brothers described The Real Wrap Co, which was founded in 2010, as a ‘dynamic, innovative young company’ that has ‘great future potential’.

Finlay’s Foods opens up new market for Bako

Bako looked to tap into new markets with the acquisition of Finlay’s Foods, a Northern Irish ingredients firm.

Founded in 1976, County Armagh-based Finlay’s has grown to employ around 60 workers at its purpose-built site in Craigavon. As a manufacturer and distributor of ingredients to the bakery and general food industry, its customer base extends throughout Northern Ireland and into the Republic of Ireland, as well as the wider UK, Europe, and Asia regions.

Bako CEO Mike Tully said acquisition will open up new markets in Northern Ireland and beyond, offering significant growth opportunities for the company. “By integrating Finlay’s Foods’ product line with our own, we are able to diversify our offerings and enhance our competitive edge,” he said.