Author: oghma

Wednesday 16^th September 2015

Oghma Partners Mergers and Acquisitions Review – Overseas Buyers, UK Targets, High Multiples

Oghma Partners is pleased to announce the release of the most recent update to the Oghma Partners M&A review.

There have been several interesting and high profile deals so far in 2015, and there remains the expectation that more notable activity in the form of M&A and IPOs is still to come over the rest of the year. Oghma’s Review includes commentary on recently released deal multiples, including the recent acquisition of Natural Balance Foods and of Seabrook crisps. It is clear that the UK Food and Beverage market remains a key market of interest for trade and financial buyers from the UK and abroad.

The Review contains analysis of latest deal values, activity by category and the source of buyers. The report also looks at the increasing involvement of Chinese buyers in the European Food and Beverage market.

The Review is available upon request from the Oghma Partners website and the Partners welcome any further queries from interested parties, either as regards the review or the work of Oghma Partners.

For the full press release please click here.

Wednesday 13^th September 2015

 Oghma Partners announces release of Latest Mergers and Acquisitions Review for T2 2015

Oghma Partners is pleased to announce the release of the most recent update to the Oghma Partners M&A review.

In T2 2015, which takes us to the end of August 2015, we have noted that the UK Food sector showed a 12% increase in deal volume vs. last year in the second tertial to end August, bringing the total number of deals for YTD to 51. This is after an unchanged number of deals in T1.

The Review contains analysis of latest deal values, activity by category and the source of buyers. The report also looks at the increasing involvement of Chinese buyers in the European Food and Beverage market.

The Review is available upon request from the Oghma Partners website and the Partners welcome any further queries from interested parties, either as regards the review or the work of Oghma Partners.

For the full press release please click here.

Wednesday 9^th September 2015

Oghma Partners Reviews Chinese M&A activity in the European Food & Beverage Industry

Oghma Partners is pleased to announce the release of its September 2015 M&A review. In this edition there is a special feature on examining Chinese investment in the European Food & Beverage sector.

Investment from China and the Far East has, to some extent taken on mythical proportions with sellers often referencing the prospect of potential Asian and Chinese interest in particular for their businesses.

Our brief overview of activity by Chinese companies in the European Food & beverage industry over the last ten years highlights that a very modest 23 targets were acquired in the space since 2004. Furthermore the majority of transactions have been wine or beverage related transactions accounting for 60% of all the deals. The overview therefore questions the importance of China as an investor in the sector going forward, based on the track record of the last ten years.

The M&A Review is available upon request from the Oghma Partners website and the Partners welcome any further queries from interested parties, either as regards the review or the work of Oghma Partners.

For the full press release please click here.

18^th May 2015

Oghma Partners LLP is pleased to announce the release of the First Tertial 2015 M&A Review of the UK Food & Beverage Sector.

The review looks at activity in the Food & Beverage sector for the first four months of 2015. The review highlights that the disposal of Iglo, and the sale of 40% of the equity of Weetabix to majority shareholder China Bright, drove a 185% increase in deal value in the first four months of 2015 compared to the same period last year. Outside of these two ‘mega –transactions,’ deal value was far more subdued.

To request a copy of the review or for further information on Oghma Partners, please do get in touch via our “Contact us” link on our website;

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15^th May 2015

Oghma Partners LLP is pleased to announce the release of the First Tertial 2015 M&A Review of the UK Food & Beverage Sector.

 The review looks at activity in the Food & Beverage sector for the first four months of 2015. The review highlights that deal value bucked the UK market trend and recorded a significant increase compared to that recorded in the same period of 2014. For further detailed analysis please enquire about the review and request to be put on our mailing list for future updates.

To request a copy of the review or for further information on Oghma Partners, please do get in touch via our “Contact us” link on our website;

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10^th May 2015

Oghma Partners LLP is pleased to announce it will shortly be releasing its First Tertial 2015 M&A Review of the UK Food & Beverage Sector.

The report highlights a number of transactions where buyers have sort to expand their footprints in niche but high growth sectors. Following on the year end closing of the acquisition of Frozen Yoghurts business Taste Trends Ltd to Lakeland Dairies, the first four months of the year has seen, in a similar way, Aurivo acquire For Goodness Shakes, a protein based sports recovery drinks business, and AG Barr acquire Funkin Ltd, a premium cocktails solutions business. Both these target companies operate in niche but high growth, and frequently high margin, segments of the food and beverage industry.

To request a copy of the M&A review or for further information on Oghma Partners, please get in touch via our “Contact us” link on our website;

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Oghma Partners LLP is pleased to announce the release of the 2014 M&A Review of the UK Food & Beverage Sector.

As well as analysing M&A activity over the previous 12 months, the review looks forward to 2015, discussing how the forthcoming UK General Election may effect deal volume and how the big disposals from 2014 may fare under their new ownership.

To request a copy or for further information on Oghma Partners, please do get in touch via our “Contact us” link.

Oghma Partners LLP (“Oghma Partners”) is pleased to announce its role as exclusive financial advisor to the shareholders of Surrey based Taste Trends Limited (“Taste Trends”) with regards to the sale of the business to Lakeland Dairies Co-operative Society Limited of Ireland (“Lakeland Dairies”). The deal was completed at the end of December 2014.

Taste Trends is the leading supplier of frozen yogurts to the UK food service industry. Lakeland Dairies is a leading dairy processing co-operative and a global market leader in the manufacturing of dairy-based products, exporting to 70 countries worldwide.

Michael Hanley, Chief Executive of Lakeland Dairies said, “We’re very pleased to make this acquisition where Taste Trends is an excellent business with innovative products, highly experienced management, great customers and strong growth prospects.  We look forward to serving the business development needs of our valued foodservice customers across the UK and to developing this opportunity further across our international foodservice business using our well defined routes to market throughout the globe.”

Taste Trends Transaction Completes Successful 2014 for Oghma Partners

The completion of the sale of Taste Trends rounds off a successful year for Oghma Partners, with the completion of nine transactions in the year across a number of consumer industry sub-sectors and across multiple geographies. In addition to Taste Trends, the completed transactions during the year were:

• 1 September 2014: Oghma Partners advised DS Smith Plc on the sales of its Flamingo (Denmark) and Cellplast (Sweden) packaging businesses to BEWi Group (Norway);
• 30 July 2014: Oghma Partners advised Irish Dairy Board/Adams Food Ingredients Limited on the acquisition of dairy ingredients business FoodTec UK Limited from Dairy Crest plc;
• 2 July 2014: Oghma Partners advised the shareholders of Softbox Systems Limited, a temperature controlled packaging business, on the sale of a majority stake to Great Point Partners, LLC (US);
• 1 July 2014: Oghma Partners advised DS Smith Plc on the sale of its UK print solutions business to MBM Print & Supply Chain Solutions Limited;
• 23 May 2014: Oghma Partners advised Cargill Inc on the sale of its Spanish texturising compounds business to Mane Group (France);
• 1 February 2014: Oghma Partners advised the shareholders of Mary Berry and Daughter Limited, a salad dressings and sauces business, to RH Amar Limited;
• 31 January 2014: Oghma Partners advised DS Smith Plc on the sale of its Cool Logistics packaging business to Pelican Products Inc (US).

For further information or for details on Oghma Partners’ services please contact:

Oghma Partners LLP is pleased to announce the release of the 2014 M&A Review of the UK Food & Beverage Sector.

The report highlights several of the key transactions that took place in the Food & Beverage sector in 2014, including the sale of United Biscuits, Premier Foods’ disposal of Hovis and the flotation of Fevertree.

The total number of M&A deals in 2014 was at a similar level to 2013, with strong activity in the second half of the year. Further analysis is contained within the review.

To request a copy or for further information on Oghma Partners, please do get in touch via our “Contact us” link.