Vegan and gluten-free snacking brand Pri Bakes has been acquired by private investment firm Voracio Foods for an undisclosed sum.
The deal sees founder Pri Savjani step back from day-to-day operations but remain a shareholder and advisor to the business.
Pri Bakes was launched in 2020 in Camden Town, built on Savjanu’s belief that snacking could be indulgent and genuinely healthier at the same time. It was strategically positioned ahead of the UK’s legislation on products high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS), developing an oat-based range made with natural sweeteners that is low in calories and saturated fat whilst being high in fibre.
Offering a sugar reduction of up to 60% on comparable snacks, the products gave retailers a future-proofed, shelf-ready solution at a time when legacy brands were still catching up, noted Savjani.
The current Pri Bakes range includes oaty pies in flavours of chocolate, cashew butter, peanut butter, or pecan pie, and oaty pockets in raspberry jam, hazelnut, and cinnamon varieties. Each are made with just five main ingredients.
“Our range is vegan, gluten-free, and clean label, which was a deliberate product philosophy from day one,” commented Savjani. “We were early to several tailwinds that have since become mainstream: free-from, HFSS compliance, and now the growing consumer backlash against ultra-processed foods.
“Our clean label credentials put us in a strong position as UPF awareness continues to grow,” she added.
The brand has scaled from small-batch production to national retail shelves, landing in thousands of stores across the UK including listings with Boots, WHSmith, Booths, and Planet Organic, as well as foodservice suppliers Compass Group and Sysco. Its products are also now stocked on SuperValu shelves in Ireland and retailers across the Middle East, with export partnerships in the US beginning to be established.
Voracio Foods, run by David Holme and Ellen Johnson, is to support the next phase of growth at Pri Bakes including a focus on further expanding distribution and its product portfolio.
“We have exciting new products launching in April, so there’s plenty more to come from the brand under Voracio Foods’ ownership,” said Savjani. “I’m proud of what the team has built and excited that, with Voracio Foods, we can take the brand into its next phase – reaching more customers while staying true to the mission.”
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