PRESTON, UK — Bako Group Ltd., a supplier of bakery ingredients and finished goods serving customers throughout the United Kingdom, has acquired James A.S. Finlay Ltd. (Finlay’s Foods). Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Craigavon, UK, Finlay’s Foods manufactures and distributes ingredients to the baking and food industries. The company’s offerings include cheesecake toppings, fruit sauces, sprinkles, jams and spreads. Its customer base extends throughout Northern Ireland into the Republic of Ireland, as well as the wider UK, Europe and Asia.
“This acquisition opens up new markets for us in Northern Ireland and beyond, offering significant growth opportunities,” said Mike Tully, chief executive officer of Bako. “Finlay’s Foods has established a strong presence and loyal customer base, which we intend to build upon and expand. By integrating Finlay’s Foods’ product line with our own, we are able to diversify our offerings and enhance our competitive edge. Their expertise in bakery products complements our current portfolio and opens up a wide range of cross-selling opportunities.
“Bringing Finlay’s Foods into the Bako family will also provide substantial operational advantages, including optimized supply chains, shared resources, and enhanced production capabilities. The additional resources and capabilities from this acquisition provide us with the ability to accelerate innovation and drive growth, aligning with our commitment to offering high-quality products and services and exploring new market segments.”
Bako and Finlay’s Foods have had a relationship for more than 20 years. As part of their new agreement Finlay’s Foods will continue to trade under its existing brand as part of Bako.
“This is a natural evolution that benefits both companies and will enable us to build on our customer-focused approach, facilitating the delivery of more choice opportunities and benefits to our loyal customer base,” said Patrick Gracey, sales director at Finlay’s Foods. “Partnering with such a major force and leading light within the UK bakery industry is the start of an exciting journey for both Finlay’s and our customers. Bako’s motto ‘By Bakers, for Bakers’ symbolizes a passion and commitment to the industry that synergizes with our own long-term ethos, and we are delighted to be part of this family of companies. We look forward to our journey ahead under the umbrella of such a trusted trade partner.”
