Bakkavor takes £12m bite out of bakery business

Bakkavor Group, the provider of fresh prepared food which has a signifant presence throughout the East Midlands, has bought Haydens Bakery from Real Good Food for £12m.

Bakkavor says the deal will support growth in its desserts division, which is based in Newark and is currently undergoing a £20m investment to create 300 jobs in the town.

Established in 1976, Haydens is a manufacturer of sweet bakery products for the major UK grocery retailers. The business operates from two sites in Devizes, Wiltshire, and has around 480 employees.

In the financial year ended 31 March 2017, Haydens generated £31.3m of revenues and was break-even at the operating profit level.

Agust Gudmundsson, chief executive officer of Bakkavor, said: “We are pleased to welcome Haydens to the Bakkavor Group. It is a business which shares Bakkavor’s passion for providing outstanding service, quality and value to its customers and has a reputation for supplying some of the best tasting sweet treats to the UK’s leading retailers. This acquisition will grow both our capacity and product offering in the Desserts category, and we are delighted to be welcoming Haydens’ management and the wider team to our business.”