Creed Foodservice, a prominent foodservice provider in the UK, has reached an agreement to be acquired by Kitwave Wholesale Group (Kitwave).
As part of the acquisition, Creed Foodservice will assume a key position within Kitwave’s Foodservice division, which encompasses the trading operations of David Miller Frozen Foods, Total Foodservice, M.J. Baker Foodservice, and Westcountry Food Holdings.
With the integration of Creed Foodservice, Kitwave’s Foodservice division will expand its depot count to 10 (16 when including the on-trade business), solidifying its position as a national distributor. This expansion will serve a diverse customer base of 10,700 across sectors such as education, healthcare, leisure, hospitality, business and industry, and out-of-home services, with annual revenues nearing £275 million.
There will be no changes to the depot, operational, sales, head office teams, management team, or Board of Creed Foodservice. Chris Creed will continue as CEO, while Philip de Ternant will remain as Chairman, overseeing the strategic direction and integration into the Foodservice division. Miles Roberts will maintain his role as Managing Director, managing daily operations alongside his current Directors. Additionally, Philip Creed, another family member involved in the business, will continue to support the company’s sustainability initiatives.
Chris Creed, CEO of Creed Foodservice, said: “We have been evaluating our plans to take our business to the next stage for some time now and are delighted to be able to share our growth plans.
“Our objectives have always been to keep the Creed name, remain a member of the Country Range Group, secure the right investment and strengthen our infrastructure and capacity to secure our long-term growth; and I’m pleased to say that all these goals have been achieved.
“Creed’s ethos and business approach remain at the heart of our operations. Creed has thrived on family values for over 50 years and our people, culture and values remain woven into the fabric of our extended business. This move strengthens our position within the market, offering the best possible outcome for our business, people and customers.”
Ben Maxted, CEO at Kitwave Wholesale Group, said: “Creed has an exceptional heritage and is one of the UK’s leading foodservice wholesalers, so we are delighted to have reached this agreement, which will extend our Foodservice division. Strategically, Creed will significantly expand our geographical presence, bridging our operations in the North and South and creating a fully integrated national delivery network. We are looking forward to working with Creed's dedicated and experienced team and excited to see our Foodservice division continue to go from strength to strength.'
Founded in 1987 after acquiring a single-site confectionery wholesale business in North Shields, Kitwave has achieved significant growth through both organic expansion and a strategy of acquiring primarily family-owned, complementary businesses within the fragmented UK grocery and foodservice wholesale market.
Founded in 1972, Creed Foodservice is one of the UK’s top foodservice providers, specialising in a wide array of products and services for caterers and chefs nationwide. Its offerings include grocery, frozen, chilled, fresh produce, beverages, alcohol, and non-food categories. As a founding member of the Country Range Group of independent wholesalers, Creed Foodservice is recognised for its excellence in service and its commitment to helping customers achieve their food strategies and commercial goals. The company consistently ranks in the ‘Best Companies’ accreditation scheme.