Burton’s Biscuit Company has approached the owner of Fox’s Biscuits for a potential takeover deal, according to reports.

Published by Sky News, initial discussions between Burton’s and parent company 2 Sisters Food Group are already understood to have taken place, although they are at a very preliminary stage and may not lead to a deal.

If a deal were to take place, it would bring together some of the UK’s biggest biscuit brands, including Burton’s Jammie Dodgers and Maryland Cookie’s with Fox’s Crunch Creams and Melts.

Additionally, the union would create a bigger rival to United Biscuits (UB), whose brands include McVitie’s, Jacob’s, Carr’s, Penguin and Mini Cheddars.

Both Burton’s Biscuits and 2 Sisters declined to comment.

Burton’s Biscuits was bought by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTTP) in November last year for an undisclosed sum, thought to be in the region of £350m.

In January this year, rumours surfaced about the potential sale of United Biscuits (UB), following interest from China-based private equity firm Hony Capital.

The firm was said to have held informal talks with UB owners Blackstone Group and PAI Partners.