Buyer sought for Trigon Snacks after administration

TRIGON Snacks, the Liverpool company behind the well-known Planters and Big D peanut brands, has been placed into administration.

David Whitehouse and Steve Muncaster, partners at business advisory firm Duff & Phelps in Manchester were appointed to the Aintree-based company, which has annual sales of nearly £40m and employs nearly 200 people, on Tuesday.

Trigon is the UK’s third-largest nut supplier and Planters – which it makes in the UK – was the pioneer of the dry roasting process.

The majority of sales come not through its own brands, but by supplying of own-brand nuts to major supermarkets such as Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Morrisons.

Trigon Snacks was formed in 1996 following the acquisition of the Walkers(PepsiCo) UK nut business. The Aintree factory dates back to the 1970s when the business was known as Smiths Nuts.

It was owned by a Netherlands-based venture capital investor and its management team, and had been making “small losses” recently Duff & Phelps said.

Mr Whitehouse told TheBusinessDesk.com: “The business has suffered some working capital problems due to high stocking levels. We are continuing to trade it while we assess the situation.

“There is already interest in the business and I am reasonably confident we can find a buyer.”