Private equity groups Capvest and Permira are reported to have tabled bids for the Birds Eye frozen foods business.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The Financial Times reported in an unsourced article that the two groups had made formal bids via Goldman Sachs, which is handling the sale on behalf of Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever.


Irish food manufacturer Kerry was yesterday (Wednesday) touted as the most likely candidate to buy Birds Eye after perceived frontrunner Capvest lost some of its financial backing, but it is unclear whether it has submitted a bid.


Kerry, Unilever, Goldman Sachs and all the private equity firms are declining to comment.


Although Birds Eye is profitable, Unilever has found it difficult to expand the business and put it up for sale last year.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

Sales of Birds Eye frozen meals slid 13% last year to £105.9m (US$200.5m) while the brand’s frozen poultry line dropped 4.3%, according to AC Nielsen, the market research firm. 

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact