Bidcorp UK has acquired Southampton-based Harvest Fine Foods, with the foodservice wholesale leaving Country Range with immediate effect and joining the company’s Caterfood Buying Group.
Harvest distributes to more than 1,000 catering establishments across the South of England, including Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, West Sussex, Surrey and the Isle of Wight.
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Richard Strongman, managing director at Harvest, said: “We are looking forward to becoming part of the Bidcorp family, which shares our passion for quality products, competitive prices and unrivalled service. The team will continue to focus on the development and growth of our successful, service-led business, under the same identity and culture.”
Andrew Selley, chief executive of Bidcorp UK added: “We are delighted to welcome the Harvest Fine Foods team into the Bidcorp Family where it will join the Caterfood Buying Group, our growing network of independent businesses including Nichol Hughes, Elite Fine Foods, Caterfood, South Lincs Foodservice and Cimandis.
“Harvest Fine Foods is already a thriving foodservice supplier, achieving a compound growth of 20% over the last 12 years. It will continue operating as an autonomous and independent business, in line with the decentralised model we already successfully employ within the Caterfood Buying Group.
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“We have been really impressed by their passion, their ethical ethos and their reputation for providing ethically-sourced, fantastic local produce, as well as great service to their customers. We look forward to supporting the team with our financial and strategic strength alongside their local expertise and range.”
Martin Ward, the chief executive of Country Range Group of which Harvest commented on the departure: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at Harvest this past six years. We have achieved some fantastic successes together and made some magical memories along the way, even during some incredibly challenging economic times. We wish Richard Strongman, his team and the business all the best in the future.”
“Our individual members continue to be incredibly passionate about their independence so while we respect Richard’s decision to sell, it was impossible for Harvest to retain its CRG membership. As of today, Harvest will no longer be part of the Country Range Group.”
