Henderson Foodservice expands with new acquisition
Northern Ireland’s Henderson Foodservice, part of the Henderson Group, one of the largest employers in Northern Ireland, has added to its expanding portfolio with the acquisition of multi depot foodservice company, Foodco.
Established in 1985, Foodco is an independently owned foodservice company, with distribution depots based in Lisburn, Co Antrim and Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Operating a fleet of multi-temperature vehicles, Foodco specialise in the supply of bespoke products to the foodservice industry throughout the island of Ireland.
Cathal Geoghegan, managing director of Henderson Foodservice, said the acquisition is another exciting opportunity to complement the growth and development in the foodservice sector for both companies.
“The acquisition occurs at an exciting time for us as a business. Following a record-breaking turnover in 2018, we’re delighted to welcome the staff and management of Foodco into our company portfolio. Foodco is a terrific company with a strong reputation and loyal customer base and we look forward to supporting the FoodCo team in solidifying their synergy with customers and suppliers.”
The acquisition is in line with Henderson Foodservice’s future strategy and expansion which includes a £25 million investment in new facilities, staff and business development. Ron Whitten, chief financial officer added, “Our purchase of Foodco follows the successful acquisition of BD Foods in July 2018 and will further strengthen the product portfolio at Henderson Foodservice. It also presents substantial opportunities for us to increase our collective customer base across the island of Ireland.”
Foodco’s board, Alan Kelly, Gary McIlroy, Barry Monaghan and Robert Walsh, is excited by the future prospects of this acquisition.
“This is a great opportunity for the staff and ourselves to continue the expansion of the business by being part of one of the largest foodservice companies in Ireland, Henderson Foodservice.We would like to thank all our staff, customers and suppliers for all the support over the years. We have developed our business through excellent customer service, product innovation and strong personal relationships. Being a part of Henderson Group will copper fasten this and provide us with a strong platform to continue our growth throughout Ireland.”
Although acquired as part of Henderson Foodservice, Foodco will operate as a stand-alone business with the existing management and board and will retain its corporate name and identity.
