Food and drink retailer Booths has bought its long-term fresh producer supplier, Sharrocks, for an undisclosed sum as of 1 December.
The news comes as Booths looks to gain greater control over its supply chain and work more closely with farmers and growers.
Director of Sharrocks, Graham Eastham, will join the Booths management team.
The acquisition will expand Booths’ manufacturing capacity as Sharrock’s current premises will become part of Booths’ in addition to its facilities at the Bluebell Way premises, Preston.
Booths chairman Edwin Booth said it is the first acquisition of a supplier in the company’s 166-year history. “We have worked closely with the Eastham family for many years and we know that they share the same ethos and values when it comes to supplying customers with quality produce. This will only further strengthen our own offering to our customers.”
He added: “We pride ourselves on the strong relationships we have with all our suppliers and this acquisition will enable us to be even closer to our fruit and vegetable producers, creating a more transparent supply chain. This will align our fruit and vegetable production with our existing manufacturing facilities which include our fresh meat operation, coffee roasting and tea blending operations.”
Eastham, said: “Having worked closely with Booths for the past 40 years, I am delighted that our business is going to become part of a premium food and drink retailer. I am confident that by bringing us under the Booths umbrella, it will benefit Booths, its customers, and the employees at the Riversway site.”
A spokesman for Sharrocks said:'As part of the deal, the wholesale trade of Sharrocks Fresh Produce Limited will be transferred to a new distribution centre at Red Scar, Preston.
'Sharrocks will then focus on supplying the wholesale trade, but will also continue to source and supply prep and prepack products to those customers.
'This is an exciting development in the company's long history. The staff and directors of Sharrocks look forward to this as a highly successful move for its traditional trade.'
Booths is a family-owned food and drink retailer based in the North West.Sharrocks is a fourth generation, family business, previously owned and run by the Eastham family. It has worked with Booths for over 40 years, as well as supplying and distributing fruit and vegetables to other independent retailers.
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