Newly launched Granary Investment Partners targets food deals

A WELL known Yorkshire corporate financier has teamed up with a food industry entrepreneur to launch a new fund to invest in food and drink businesses.

Former PKF partner Mark Lister and Paul Simmonds, the ex-chief executive of Glisten, have brought together a number of successful individuals from the food sector to create Granary Investment Partners.

The Harrogate-based firm, whose partners also include former Sainsbury’s and Waitrose board director Angela Megson, food industry finance director Rob Davies and sustainable food expert Simon Wright, is looking to invest growth capital of up to £1m in SMEs in the food sector.

Paul Simmonds built up Yorkshire-based quoted group Glisten over 10 years from £12m turnover to £185m before selling it to Raiso in 2012.

Mark Lister is a corporate finance advisor who has wide experience of M&A and transaction services in the food sector, having previously been a partner with PKF for 14 years.

Mr Lister said: “Granary’s aim is to invest in, and work with, food and drink entrepreneurs who have begun the journey and have early stage businesses with good commercial plans, growth strategies, ideas and capabilities.”

Mr Simmonds added: “We created Granary to help the food and drink businesses of tomorrow fulfill their potential. Granary’s team of experienced entrepreneurs and senior managers are ready to commit their own time, money and energy to help deliver enhanced performance in the smaller end of the UK food sector. We believe that this is where the most vibrant, creative, and passionate players are. Many just need some high quality insight and an injection of capital from food-people.”