North Tyneside-based wholesaler Kitwave has continued its expansion activity with the purchase of Alpine Fine Foods, a foodservice operator providing a wholesale and delivery service to businesses across the Humberside and Yorkshire regions.
Alpine is based in Hull and has a turnover of around £13m. It supplies ambient, frozen, chilled and fresh products to the foodservice sector.
The purchase, for an undisclosed fee, is Kitwave’s second foodservice acquisition, the former being Miller Food Service in 2015. The company stated that the latest purchase would allow it to offer a greater product range and an improved delivery capability.
Following completion of the deal, Ben Maxted, Kitwave’s head of Frozen & Chilled operations, will join the board of Alpine Fine Foods alongside Gareth Wilson Managing Director of Miller Food Service.
Commenting on the acquisition of Alpine Fine Foods, Maxted said: “The business is renowned for providing a quality delivered solution to its customers and this ethos is a key part of the Kitwave Group. We look forward to building further our foodservice offering to the benefit of both customers and suppliers alike.”
Phil Davis, Managing Director Alpine, added: “The acquisition has come at an exciting time for Alpine, after an already successful year this is a positive move towards growing the business further. The senior management and staff at Alpine are really looking forward to working closely with the Gareth and his team which will further improve our already high customer service levels.”
Kitwave, founded by CEO Paul Young in 1988, has transformed itself from a regional confectionery-based business to a diversified, national wholesaler through a number of acquisitions since 2011. The most recent was August’s purchase of Birmingham-based chilled product wholesaler Central Supplies. Its latest accounts show its 27 depots generated sales of £341.3m in the year to 30 April 2018.
NAM Implications:
- Key for suppliers to harmonise any prices & terms disparities.
- Kitwave have successfully integrated acquisitions to date…
- …so will know and take the logical steps faster than most.
