Pudding maker snapped up for £67m

Photo by Matt Riggott

The “world’s oldest Christmas pudding maker” has been acquired for £67 million.

Valeo Foods Group has swooped for Heanor-based Matthew Walker in a deal that will add significant value to its already burgeoning portfolio, which includes well-loved brands such as Jacob’s, XXX Extra Strong Mints and Rowse Honey.

The longstanding company, which was owned by 2 Sisters Food Group, produces a range of Christmas puddings including classic, luxury and alcohol and gluten-free varieties and supplies a wide range of outlets including Asda, Waitrose, Co-op and Amazon.

Matthew Walker is a trading name of Bakery Foods. The company goes back as far as 1899 when it was founded in Exeter Street, Derby, by the son of a Derbyshire farmer.

Valeo Foods UK’s managing director Ian Ainsworth said: “The strength of Matthew Walker’s market leadership combined with the strong consumer demand for its high-quality products make the business and its brands a great addition to our existing Valeo UK growth platform to sit alongside our wider portfolio of products including our very successful Rowse Honey brand.

“We look forward to welcoming and working with our new colleagues in Matthew Walker as we pursue our ambitious growth plans for the business.”

Photo by Matt Riggott of Edinburgh, Scotland [CC BY-SA 2.0] (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)]

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