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Roebuck Food Group takes over ingredients firm Moorhead & McGavin


Dublin-based food and agribusi- ness investor Roebuck Food Group has acquired Moorhead & McGavin, a food ingredient distri- bution business in Motherwell, North Lanarkshire. As part of the deal, Nadia Brady


will join the company as commer- cial director, leveraging her more than 20 years in senior commercial roles within UK food businesses. Moorhead & McGavin, a lim-


ited company since 1923, special- ises in supplying pulses, cereals, pasta, rice and flours to the food industry. The company’s cus- tomer base includes Aldi, Brakes, Kerry, Princes, Baxters, the NHS, Stirling Group and Booker. Moorhead & McGavin’s man-


aging director Marko Dafereras believes the acquisition will enhance and support the Scottish company’s growth plans as well as strengthening its position as an “under-one-roof food and ingre- dients provider for foodservice, retailers, and manufacturers”. He added: “Moorhead &


McGavin and Roebuck are deeply client-centric, and together we will deliver maximum value and an improved product range for our customers.”


From left: Moorhead & McGavin commercial director Nadia Brady, managing director Marko Dafereras, Roebuck Food’s deputy chair Aidan Hughes and chief executive Kieran Mahon


Roebuck sold its Norish cold


storage assets for £55.2m in 2021. Since then, the group has been actively seeking acquisitions and strategic partnerships that will help strengthen its market pres- ence and capitalise on emerging innovations and opportunities in the food and agriculture sectors. The investor’s chief executive


officer Kieran Mahon commented: “We actively seek investments that will help us diversify and broaden our portfolio in the food and agri space. We are excited about Moorhead’s growth poten- tial and the quality and integrity of the team behind it. It represents everything we are looking for in a partner acquisition.”


Movers


&Shakers


Catering equipment supplier Welbilt has appointed Claus Pedersen as global managing director


of its cooking appliance division Convotherm. He will succeed Jean Paul Roudier. Pedersen brings 25 years’ experience after stints at Hobart (ITW) and Cornelius (Marmon Foodservice Technologies).


Port and wine distributor Fells has recruited Euan Mackay as managing director, succeeding Steve


Moody, who is now chairman. Mackay began his career in 1987 at Tanners Wines before moving on to Fells and Symington Family Estates in Portugal.


Wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd has appointed Felix Dear as spirits curator. Dear, who


worked for Atom Brands, will take over from Jonny McMillan, who is leaving to open a whisky distillery.


Charles Saunders Foodservice acquires Victoria Foods


Independent foodservice supplier Charles Saunders Foodservice has acquired Bristolian neigh- bour Victoria Foods. Victoria Foods specialises in supplying nursing homes with fresh and frozen food, non-food and cleaning products. The family- owned firm was established more than 37 years ago and will con- tinue to run independently. The deal will enable Victoria


Foods’ customers to access Charles Saunders’ product range and, as the company’s new parent is a mem- ber of buying group Fairway Food- service, it will also be able to offer Fairway Foodservice’s own brands. Darren Gaulton, manag-


ing director at Charles Saun- ders Foodservice, said of the acquisition: “This is something that myself and Victoria Foods


www.thecaterer.com Charles Saumders will invest in more temperature-controlled vehicles


founder Anthony Morris have been discussing for quite some time, and the collaboration of two family businesses always had an attractive appeal for us both.” Regarding its plans, he added:


“We have kept everyone on in the business and even signed an extension of the lease. Moreo- ver, we will be investing in a new IT system to match what we currently have at Charles Saun- ders, which will be installed by the end of November.” Charles Saunders will be investing in new temperature- controlled vehicles, joining its current fleet of 30, so that it can offer the Victoria Foods supply chain fresh meat, fruit and veg- etables, in addition to other local products and a range of cleaning and hygiene products.


26 January 2024 | The Caterer | 39


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