The Kitwave Group has continued its wave of acquisitions with the purchase of drinks wholesaler Wilds of Oldham, which will now be incorporated into the group’s existing foodservice on-trade business HB Clark.
With a turnover of £10.2m and an employee base of 35, Wilds’ 11 fleet vehicles deliver to off and on-trade customers within a 50-mile radius of its Oldham warehouse.
Paul Young, chief executive of Kitwave, said: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Wilds of Oldham, which will assist in the distribution of HB Clark’s alcohol and soft drinks products throughout the North West. Wilds of Oldham is a proven, successful business that will make a strong addition to our foodservice division.
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John Kinney, managing director of Unitas Wholesale of which H.B Clark is a member, said: “HB Clark is an excellent on trade business and has ambitious plans for the future with this acquisition of Wilds of Oldham, a great family business. HB Clark will expand their business further with a ninth depot and valuable access to service their customer base in and around the North West.
“Wilds of Oldham is a proven and successful business in the on trade sector, backed by more than two decades of brand heritage and family work ethic. Both Andrew, ex-Unitas board member, and Annie Wild have been the driving force of continued growth within their business. This acquisition by HB Clark is another example of a Unitas member investing to accelerate growth, and we are excited to see how HB Clark’s business will continue to develop.”
Jay Mackay, HB Clark managing director added: “We are delighted to announce the acquisition of Wilds of Oldham, which will assist in the distribution of HB Clark’s alcohol and soft drinks products throughout the North West. Wilds of Oldham will make a strong addition to our on-trade division. At Kitwave, we remain focussed on capitalising on the fragmented UK wholesale market and will continue to identify the best opportunities to deliver the most value for our stakeholders.”
