A Great British food company
As one of Britain’s biggest listed food companies we’re committed to the UK, employing over 4,000 dedicated colleagues at 15 manufacturing sites and offices up and down the country. Around 96% of what we sell is made in the UK from quality ingredients, wherever we can sourced sustainably from British suppliers and farmers.
We operate primarily in the ambient food sector which continues to be the largest sector within the total UK grocery market. Our Grocery business is responsible for developing our portfolio of brands in four key categories: Flavourings & Seasonings; Cooking Sauces & Accompaniments; Quick Meals, Snacks & Soups and Ambient Desserts. Our Sweet Treats business is responsible for growing our brands in the Ambient Cakes category
In addition, the Group has a portfolio of other branded food products and a non-branded food business which manufactures products, such as cakes and desserts, on behalf of many of the UK’sfood retailers. Our Knighton Foods ('Knighton') business manufactures and sells on-branded beverages and dessert products.
Expanding internationally
We’re also working hard to expand internationally by finding new markets for our brands around the world – our International business now accounts for around 6.5% of Group revenue. We have significant businesses in Ireland and Australia with established relationships with the major food retailers. In addition, we see further opportunities for a range of our brands, such as Mr Kipling and Cadbury cake, Sharwood’s cooking sauces and Batchelors packet soups in a number of markets including New Zealand, USA, South Africa and Canada.
Strategic partnerships
Since we entered into a cooperation agreement with Nissin Foods Holdings Co., Ltd ('Nissin') in 2016, we’ve launched Batchelors Super Noodles in a new pot format using Nissin’s noodle technology and manufacturing expertise, taken on distribution of Nissin’s Soba noodles and Cup Noodle brands in the UK and we’re now working with Nissin to expand international opportunities further for our brands using Nissin’s global network.
In 2017, we signed a new strategic global partnership with Mondelēz International to renew the Company’s long-standing licence to produce and market Cadbury branded cake and ambient dessert products. The new partnership will run until at least 2022, is expanded to cover 46 countries including South Africa, Canada, Japan, China and India and has the potential to use the full range of Cadbury brands in ambient cake in addition to the Oreo brand.
Customers
Our key customers are the major UK supermarkets but we also serve a wide range of other channels including discounters, convenience stores, online, wholesale and food service.
1. Kantar Worldpanel Total Market Penetration for the 52 weeks to 24 March 2019.
2. Institute of Grocery Distribution, UK Grocery June 2018.
3. Kantar Worldpanel Total Market for the 52 weeks to 24 March 2019.