Importer and Distributor of Fresh Fruit & Vegetables with Vegetable Preparation Plant
Ref.AF047 Location CambridgshireAsking Price £2,200,000Confidential offered for sale
Finance available to buy this business subject to status. All regulated business is passed to independent financial advisors who are regulated by the FSA | |
Asking Price Includes
Reputation for honesty, reliability and responsibility
Successful range of specialised products
Sales of circa £ 2,300,000+ per annum
Circa 3,200 square foot office area
Trusted and respected name 1996
Excellent opportunity to grow
All fixtures and fittings
Training and handover
Established client base
Excellent premises
Company Website
Leased property
Goodwill
| Business profile: | This business was founded in 1996 by the Vendors with a generous combination of innovative insight and entrepreneurial spirit, for the import and distribution via its modern fleet of climate contolled vehicles, of fresh fruit and vegetables and has grown since to become a significant enterprise with an outstanding regional reputation among its customers such as national trust, hotels, independent caterers schools, councils, prisons, colleges, care homes, hospitals and CPUs over six counties, for the quality of its products and service, its honesty and reliability which has lead to the majority of business now typically founded upon 36 month customer contracts.
The business operates in three distinct areas concerning food produce:
Fruit & Vegetables
It manages the import and distribution to food processors and institutions, of fresh fruit and vegetables within East Anglia and south to London
Personalised
It offers a comprehensive range of fully personalised and prepared produce including slicing, chipping and all cuts of root vegetables, benefiting chefs and kitchens through improved efficiency
Dairy
A range of dairy produce including milk and cheese is provided to many of the same loyal customers around the East Anglian and North London areas
Produce is imported directly from Europe also from local growers where possible and from key suppliers in the London markets. Combined with this activity is the procurement and collection of produce from within the UK and includes a unique and exclusive arrangement with one grower for the supply of the popular and versatile ‘Romano’ potato – a favourite among chefs in institutional kitchens.
The business has also benefited from considerable investment in technology for both hardware and software.
Chefs’ individual needs are monitored and met particularly in regard to vegetable preparation and provides anything potato processed that a chef will ever need, including blanching, drying and chipping, all with the aid of a computerised in-line potato processing unit, supported and sponsored by the Potato Federation.
The business has also developed a high powered software application for managing workflow and logistics and represents a significant investment that is now showing excellent returns in operational efficiencies and savings.
Customers rely on this business’s ability to perform and deliver consistently; and is further supported by exemplary relations with all of its key suppliers who have helped to ensure that quality and delivery is never compromised and that customers are never let down. This commitment to supply chain relationships has underpinned this business’s abilities in product quality and sustained business growth.
With the benefit of comprehensive producer relationships, the highest quality through key business areas has been maintained and conforms to the most stringent British and European Standards where appropriate and to strength and packaging test standards. The business has also maintained significant control over costs in a demanding market.
Customer Service
The business manages many customers ranging from schools and colleges to prisons and care homes and has the systems, processes and people to ensure that both productivity and customers’ orders are satisfied. The most important aspects of customer management and satisfaction considered by the business is honesty from which comes customer confidence and speed of supply, which combined are responsible for the business retaining many customers and the reputation for which has led to the acquisition of new customers.
The effectiveness of customer delivery is endorsed by STS Accreditation and a more than satisfactory HACCP report, thus ensuring that there is a balance of priorities between the customers critical needs in regard to food safety standards, product quality, delivery and the business’s own requirements.
Key strengths
The business is an autonomous organisation where the business owner has, over time developed and nurtured an operational team capable of overseeing business operations, effectively, reducing the need for constant or daily input from the vendors. This has resulted in customer relations founded on a history of trading satisfaction and the reputation of the business’s two brands, not contingent upon the continuing presence of the vendor.
The business is well established and profitable, with a strong, large and growing customer base managed by a comprehensive and sophisticated blend of management expertise and technology. The business retains a high level of repeat business, particularly among a number of customers returning on a regular basis.
The company has earned an outstanding reputation for its honesty, service, reliability, efficient job completions, excellent quality work, ability to deliver multiple product orders, cost control and highly skilled, experienced staff. All of which is driven by the strong culture of innovation and personal commitment within the business.
Growth and Expansion
The current market for this business is growing and is forecast in the near and longer term for significant growth particularly in the processed vegetables sector; exceeding all previous forecasts and expectations, an area in which this business is already experiencing outstanding growth and is part of the trend for healthy eating in schools – a sector in which this business is particularly strong. The business is well positioned to take maximum advantage of this growth as it occurs.
Business operations are not at maximum capacity and there remains considerable scope for an increase in operations, turnover and profit simply by gearing operations in line with current market demand.
The business is constantly innovating new products and has at this time new product revenue streams to be developed into significant contributors to turnover.
One area is the aggregation of logistics needs across multiple sectors offering yet more opportunity for new benefits to many more clients in new sectors.
Key opportunities
This is an outstanding opportunity to build on the existing products, services and customer base of this business. With a strong demand for products combined with a capacity to increase turnover, a new owner contributing fresh ideas will have every advantage of building on an excellent platform.
This business maintains an extensive base of satisfied customers, who appreciate the company’s superior products and service. There are many excellent avenues for growth, especially with new products, operations capacity, development of further customer contracts, EEC Tendering and market forecasts which are showing early trends for significant growth and development.
Technology
Extensive administrative and specific technical systems have been set up to provide the technology required for a modern and efficient business. There is also specialist proprietary sector specific management & logistics software technology and also Sage accounting software. | Premises
The business is located in one of the most accessible areas in Cambridgeshire with its many key road transport arteries and operates from modern refrigerated premises circa 8,000 square feet area including 3x temperature controlled preparation areas, office, storage and administrative offices.
Cambridgeshire is one of England’s most significant agricultural areas and has miles of farmland and, thanks to its predominantly flat landscape and its rich peaty soil it is one of Britain’s leading food-producing regions; its products include cereals and root crops, fruit, flowers and bulbs. | <>Advertising and marketing
The business has used trade advertising in the past but has found greatest success through its direct sales force, where a significant number of orders and enquiries are taken. This activity has been supported by strong customer referrals and word of mouth recommendation.
The company has a comprehensive website detailing products and services and a history of the business and its successes, there is little doubt that turnover and profits will increase through development of this medium, as it consolidates even further the business’s reputation nationally and opens the business to new and developing sectors. | | | Financial profile: | The business is being offered for sale on a going concern basis, all financial discussions will take place directly between the vendors and all interested parties under the auspices of Turner Butler.
The business is financially stable with no borrowings, low overheads, positive cash flow backed by robust, long term customer contracts, enjoys strong ongoing customer relations, high gross and high net profit and has shown consistent growth over 9 years trading.
Sales revenue is circa £2,300,000+ per annum and our client feels that with a commitment to the opportunities illustrated, the business could dramatically increase its revenues. | Employees
The business employs 36 full time personnel in total and includes 4x departmental managers with 7x other fulltime operatives and further 16x part time operatives who along with the 3x directors are responsible for day to day operations. | Support and training
The current owner will provide all necessary training and all relevant contacts to allow continuity of trading. | Reason for sale
The business is for sale as result of each of the vendors’ wishes to retire and to seek new areas of business interest. | | Turner Butler Disclosure Statement: This statement applies to information relating to any company or other undertaking or business advertised for sale by Turner Butler (a 'Business') The information supplied by Turner Butler on its website or in any other promotional material ('the Information') is not and is not intended to constitute an offer for sale of the Business or any assets of the Business or of the shares of any company which owns the Business. For the avoidance of doubt there is no intention to create a legal relationship which will only come into existence when a written contract for sale and purchase of the shares in or the Business has been entered into The Information provided is not intended to address your particular requirements. Further the Information does not constitute any form of advice recommendation representation endorsement or arrangement by Turner Butler and is not intended to be relied upon in making (or refraining from making) any specific decisions. Any agreements transactions or other arrangements made between you and any client of Turner Butler are at your sole risk and responsibility. The prospective sellers of the Business have provided the Information to Turner Butler. The Information has not been verified by Turner Butler. You must carry out your own due diligence and satisfy yourself as to the accuracy of all matters. In the case of the sale of shares in a Business the Information has been prepared on the basis that the shares will consist of or include more than 50% of the voting shares and that both the seller and the buyer is either a body corporate, a partnership, a single individual or a group of connected individuals so as to fall outside the scope of regulated activities as defined by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. If you are considering a transaction which falls within the scope of such regulated activities you cannot do so through Turner Butler. Appropriate professional, legal and accountancy advice should be obtained before making or refraining to make any decision. Turner Butler does not accept any responsibility or liability for loss or damage of any nature that may occur by reliance on the Information. Neither Turner Butler nor any of our employees or agents makes any representation as to the completeness or accuracy of the Information nor do we accept any liability for any losses, costs, liabilities or expenses which may arise directly or indirectly from your use of, or reliance on the Information. This document is governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English Law and any dispute arising in connection with it shall be subject to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the English courts Turner & Co (GB) Limited registered in England and Wales under company no. 2477988 of registered office Savoy House Savoy Circus London W3 7DA, trading as Turner Butler © Shaun Sweeney October 2006 |
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