A former seafood operator is making a move into produce with the purchase of two food manufacturers in a deal worth around £50 million.

Bill Hazeldean, a veteran of the Scottish food industry, is teaming up with Duke Street Capital to snap up Buckingham Foods and the Thomas Food Group, which both produce own label products for Morrisons and Waitrose.

Hazeldean is reported to be building a new food business empired after the £40m sale of the seafood business he built up in the 1990s to Young’s two years ago.

He is thought to be looking to extend the newly acquired businesses’ operations into more premium products in the fast-growing food-to-go sector, which will include salads.

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