Northern Irish Around Noon buys business in Britain

Around Noon, the Northern Irish food-to-go business, has expanded its presence in Britain with the acquisition of Chef in a Box in London.

Based at Newry, county Down, Around Noon has the London premium sandwich production business, previously owned by Donegal Investment Group. The acquisition is expected to double Around Noon's turnover.

The deal will also increase Around Noon's workforce to more than 300 people.

Growth this year has been around 30 percent at Around Noon, bringing turnover to £20 million.

The acquisition of Chef in a Box will double the firm's capacity and is expected to bring turnover to more than £40 million.

Chef in a Box is a premium sandwich and snack manufacturer with market-leading customers in the corporate sector. The purchase will enable Around Noon to gain a strong foothold in Greater London and provide a platform for further UK expansion.

It also makes a range of pre-packed meal packages aimed at the hospitality sector, such as 'breakfast in a box'.

The deal allows Around Noon to access Chef in a Box's manufacturing, sales and distribution infrastructure, as well as its high-end client-base, as it seeks to realise its growth ambitions.

Gareth Chambers, chief executive of Around Noon, said: "Chef in a Box is an excellent business with an impressive client portfolio, and acquiring the company from Donegal Investment Group gives us the presence and infrastructure required to have a significant impact in the UK market."

Howard Farquhar, Around Noon chairman, added that the deal was a platform for "further UK expansion".

Chef in a Box turned over £3.1 million in the eight months ending August 2016 and recorded pre-tax profits of £58,000 over the same period.

The food-to-go market in the UK is estimated to be worth over £16 billion, driven in part by the rise of little-and-often shopping, and the popularity of coffee culture.

Around Noon has been in business for more than 25 years but over the last five it has tripled its workforce from 80 people to more than 200.

It supplies a broad range of high-quality sandwiches, wraps, salads and fruit pots under its Scribbles brand. It also markets bakery items from its in-house operation, Sweet Things, which it acquired last year, and cold-pressed juices.