INDIA: New Adelie Food owner IHC eyes European expansion

By Raghavendra Verma | 17 April 2012

The CEO of IHC, Ravi Deol, said the company was "open to evaluate opportunities across UK/Europe with strategic importance"

India Hospitality Corp (IHC), the new owner of UK convenience food group Adelie Food Holdings, is ready to consider more acquisitions in Europe, the company has told just-food.

The CEO of IHC, Ravi Deol, said the company was "open to evaluate opportunities across UK/Europe with strategic importance".

A New Delhi-based industry specialist who follows the company closely claimed within the next few months IHC would announce another acquisition in Europe. Deol did not confirm whether any potential deal was in the offing

However, reflecting on the acquisition of Adelie, Deol said IHC would use the takeover to strengthen its position in India where it supplies sandwiches, patties, pastries and cakes to international chains such as Cafe Coffee Day and Costa Coffee.

"With the new acquisition, the company will draw competence - product and people, credibility and upstream learning," Deol said. Adelie will provide "access to the best in class upstream capability which can be competitively deployed in other markets, specifically India", he added.

He also praised Adelie's consumer-insight regarding its 'fresh-to-go' food products, which is driving high levels of innovation for its food service customers, and offers the Indian company "a platform for growth in the growing global convenience food market and to expand in the retail and foodservice market in the UK".

Sectors: Bakery, Chilled foods, Dairy, Mergers & acquisitions