Bakels strengthens Swiss positioning with new buy
With a turnover in excess of £25m, Nutribake is a significant business in Swizerland that will contribute to both turnover and profit, Armin Ulrich, Bakels’ chairman told BakeryandSnacks.com.
Trading company Nutribake develops recipes and then works with specialist powder blenders to produce bread and confectionery mixes for both industrial and craft bakers.
According to Bakels, Nutribake has a proven record in producing pre-mixes for premium continental breads – especially Swiss, Italian and German which are traded under the Moul-bie brand. Other brands include Levit, Albako and Sumax.
The company was bought for an undisclosed sum from the Hochdorf Group which will continue to focus on its core markets of milk, milk derivatives and infant formula.
Nutribake will maintain its current management, workforce and branding, said Bakels.
Ulrich said there where no plans to change the name of the new business.
Extended portfolio
Bakels says it already has a foot in the premium mix market, claiming to be the UK market leader in speciality bread mixes.
What the acquisition gives the group is a new portfolio of “quality” products that have this Swiss, French and Italian heritage, said the chairman.
Bakels said it is looking to roll out these products across the rest of the company.
Presence in Switzerland
In addition to diversifying the company’s product range, Nutribake offers Bakels, for the first time, a trading presence in Switzerland.
“Bakels has been based in Switzerland for more than 50 years and it is ironic that, before today, we have never had a trading presence in this country. I am delighted to have put that right – it is the fulfilment of a long held ambition,” said Ulrich.
The new acquisition brings the number of companies in the Bakels’ Group to more than 30, with the firm expanding into Eastern Europe, China and the Far East and South America in recent years.
“We will continue to look for global opportunities, either in acquiring a company such as Nutribake or by establishing a presence in our own right or through agents,” said Ulrich.
