New snacks giant formed from £225M merger

By Michael Stones

- Last updated on GMT

Kolak Snacks has merged with Europe Snacks to form a £225M manufacturing business, which employs 1,400 people and produces more than 1.4bn packs a year
Kolak Snacks has merged with Europe Snacks to form a £225M manufacturing business, which employs 1,400 people and produces more than 1.4bn packs a year

Related tags Entrepreneurship

Snack firms Kolak Food Snacks Ltd and Europe Snacks have merged to form a £225M (€250M) manufacturing business, which employs 1,400 people and produces more than 1.4bn packs a year.

The merger – announced today (October 10) – will bring together both manufacturers’ savoury snacks under own-label brands in their respective home markets. Europe Snacks and Kolak will combine their product portfolio and technical expertise to create a leader of the sector, according to a joint statement.

The new business will manufacture 750 product types from its six manufacturing sites in the UK and France. The merged business will supply 200 retail and discount customers across Europe and worldwide.

‘Full range of crisps and snacks’

Ceo of the group Christophe Fenart said: “By bringing together Europe Snacks and Kolak, we are moving towards our goal to become the pan-European partner of choice for our customers’ brands, driving innovation across a full range of crisps and snacks.

“Both businesses share an entrepreneurial spirit and are committed to delivering quality and value to our customers.”

Kolak md Rikin Lakhani said: “I am delighted to be working with Christophe and the team at Europe Snacks. I am very excited about the opportunities that this merger presents both nationally and internationally for us and our customers.”

‘Nationally and internationally’

Kolak ceo co-founder and former chairman Ashok Lakhani will join the group board as a non-executive director.

Co-founder Bharat Lakhani and other shareholders were said to be “stepping back from the business”​.

Rikin Lakhani and Nicolas Eyméoud will remain in their positions as mds leading the UK and French businesses respectively. The companies will continue to operate under their established brand names.

Meanwhile, read our Big Interview with Rikin Lakhani​ published in the December edition of Food Manufacture​.

Kolak and Europe Snacks – at a glance

Kolak

  • Founded in 1984
  • Specialises in own-label manufacturing offering an extensive range of potato crisps, hand-cooked crisps, extruded, fried and popped snacks, popcorn and stacked chips
  • Two production sites close to London
  • Employs over 1,000 people

 

Europe Snacks

  • Established in 1991
  • Key player in the French own-brand savoury snacks market
  • Leading own-label stacked chips manufacturer
  • A specialist in extruded technologies, stacked chips, crackers and popped snacks
  • Four production sites in the west of France
  • Employs over 400 people

Related topics Ambient foods

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