Heathrow, London, UK: India Hospitality Corp (IHC) has acquired UK’s Adelie Food Group, a leading player in the convenience food segment, for US$350m in one of the largest takeovers by any Indian company in the food space.
Adelie Food produces and supplies food products such as salads, quiches and sandwiches for supermarkets, coffee shops, cafes and airlines and is among the largest players in global chilled food market. The Adelie Group employs over 3,000 people at seven manufacturing locations and in its UK distribution network.
The acquisition of Adelie Food is IHC’s first major investment in UK. IHC had recently divested India’s largest Air-Catering business SkyGourmet to Zurich based GateGroup.
IHC’s India food partners business is already a leading provider of food products to major food retailers and coffee chains in the country. IHC, which owns restaurant brands like Birdys, All Stir Fry, Jazz by Bay, Just Around the Corner, Dosa Diner, and hotel chain – Gordon House, has acquired 100 per cent stake in Adelie group from Duke Streeet Capital, the company said in a statement.
“IHC plans to use the upstream sophisticated market capabilities of Adielie and Food Partners to accelerate the roll out of its food services business in India,” IHC Foods chairman, Ravi Deol said.
“This deep product, innovation and chilled distribution expertise will enable us to delight Indian consumers with great tasting products and services,” Deol said.
The Adelie Food Group includes British convenience food companies — Buckingham Foods, Superior Foods, Food Partners, Brambles Foods, and ‘food to go’ brand Urban eat. Post acquisition, the existing structure of Adelie as the umbrella parent company will continue and Food Partners and Buckingham Foods will maintain their local identities.
IHC has been promoted by two entrepreneurs, Ravi Deol and Sandeep Vyas, who also co-founded India’s first indigeneous coffee chain, Barista Coffee. IHC recently divested India’s largest air-catering business SkyGourmet to Zurich based GateGroup.
