Tiffin Sandwiches has taken another bite of the food-to-go sector with the acquisition of fellow Bradford-based manufacturer Love Bites.
The “strategic move” for the sandwich specialist – made for an undisclosed sum – follows Tiffin’s purchase of a similar firm, PJ’s Foods in Glasgow, just four months ago.
It also comes at a time when the company has been granted permission to build a new 50,000 sq ft factory next to its existing site on Commondale Way in Bradford. The project, revealed last September, is expected to cost up to £10m and create around 400 new jobs for the local community.
Love Bites was founded by husband-and-wife team Richard and Gill Smith in 1991, and operates a 10,000 sq ft production site in the Eccleshill area of Bradford. According to its website, it produces a range that includes deep-wedge sandwiches, wraps, rolls, pizzas, and salad, as well as heat-to-eat items like its new Lorne Square Sausage Roll and Grab & Go Calzone. These are supplied chilled or frozen to independent retailers, petrol stations, hospitals, universities, hotels, corporate businesses, and events.
“We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of Love Bites, a cherished local sandwich manufacturer that has delighted the community for over 35 years,” read a statement from Tiffin Sandwiches. “This strategic move reflects our commitment to sustainable growth and the enhancement of our operations in Bradford.”
Tiffin noted its “potential for growth and expansion in the coming years” and revealed plans to “invest significantly” in the Love Bites factory. “Our focus will be on upgrading machinery and infrastructure to ensure efficient production while prioritising environmentally friendly practices,” it said, adding that the investment is designed to foster a culture of sustainability aligning with its vision for responsible business practices.
Latest full accounts filed to Companies House for the year ended 28 February 2025 showed that it currently employs 37 staff members, down from 48 in the prior financial period. The existing workforce is to be retained, confirmed Tiffin.
“We recognise the importance of retaining the dedicated staff at Love Bites and are committed to providing them with continued employment and growth opportunities within our organisation,” commented the company.
“Richard and Gill Smith have been instrumental in building Love Bites, and Richard will continue with the Tiffin business, offering his invaluable industry experience to guide our future success,” it added. “We express our heartfelt gratitude to Richard and Gill Smith for their unwavering dedication over the past three decades and look forward to carrying their legacy forward.”
The UK’s food-to-go sector has been a hotbed of business activity of late, with supplier Around Noon cutting the tape on a new 30,000 sq ft facility at Slough Trading Estate in May, while terms for the £1.2bn acquisition of Bakkavor by Greencore were finally agreed.
The latter deal, which would see the formation of a £4bn food-to-go manufacturing behemoth, is expected to be completed by early next year but is currently subject to an investigation launched by the Competition and Markets Authority. A deadline for a Phase 1 decision of the merger inquiry has yet to be confirmed, but the CMA has reported that it has received the necessary information from the parties to commence pre-notification following an invitation to comment period that closed on 22 July.
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