Profits, investment and acquisitions lead week’s top news

By Laurence Gibbons

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Multi-million pound investment Investment Uk United biscuits

A boost in profits for Bakkavor, a multi-million pound investment in manufacturing by United Biscuits and two acquisitions lead this week’s Good Week/ Bad Week.

Bakkavor reported like-for-like revenue up 3% to £425.9M in its first financial quarter to March 28 as a result of its strategy of focusing on the key markets of the UK, US and Asia.

Also, one of the world’s biggest brewers SABMiller snapped up London craft brewer Meantime Brewing Company for an undisclosed sum.

Pilot brewery

The Greenwich-based Meantime had only been operating for 15 years.  SAB will invest in a pilot brewery to boost new product development and grow sales at home and in key European markets.

Also, APS Group acquired Wight Salads Limited from VitaCress to become Britain’s biggest grower and seller of tomatoes, it claimed.

United Biscuits revealed a multi-million pound investment plan to bring its UK manufacturing facilities up-to-date.

It aims to create three centres of excellence: Manchester for chocolates, Aintree for savoury and Harlesden for biscuits. It invested £50M in its Harlesden site.

Bad news

This week was not without its bad news though, as 150 jobs were put at threat when Brakes announced plans to close its Runcorn depot.

Three firms were also fined for safety failings over the past seven days, with Natures Way Foods ordered to pay more than £250,000 after the tragic case of a 21-year old sub-contractor’s fatal electrocution; Baxters picked up a £6,000 fine because one of its workers suffered a serious injury and The Haulage (Holdings) Organisation was fined £21,000.

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