UK sausage maker Heck Food is in the process of buying back shares owned by private-equity investor Panoramic, which would bring the business back under full family control.
The North Yorkshire-based group is ending an 11-year relationship with Panoramic, which invested in 2014, acquiring a 25% stake in the business for £1m (then $1.6m).
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In a statement, Heck co-founder Jamie Keeble said the “partnership” with Panoramic has been “fantastically supportive and productive”, however, it is “reaching the natural end of its term”.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Heck told Just Food the latest move is intended to restore complete family ownership, enabling the Keeble family to continue to grow and invest in the business “for future generations”.
Andrew and Debbie Keeble started Heck in 2012. The pair previously created the Debbie & Andrew’s sausage brand in 1999 and sold it to JJ Tranfield in 2005.
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By GlobalDataHeck’s portfolio includes sausages, burgers, mince and meatballs.
Alongside the change in shareholding, Heck also confirmed to Just Food it is planning an extension at its factory in Bedale, North Yorkshire.
In its statement, the company added the shift in ownership takes place amid what it described as “sustained category performance”.
At the same time, it noted that the gains were delivered in a “challenging backdrop for UK manufacturers”.
Heck said that in FY25, which ran up to 31 July 2025, it faced cost pressures including rises in the National Minimum Wage, higher National Insurance contributions, packaging taxes and continued strain in the labour market.
The company added that recent upgrades have “improved throughput and resilience, reducing reliance on hard-to-recruit roles and strengthening service levels to retailers”.
In its full accounts for the year ended 31 July 2025, shared on the UK business register Companies House, Heck posted a 30.6% increase in turnover to £32.2m ($43.3m).
Operating profit rose to £1.2m from £425,133 a year earlier, while the group recorded a profit for the year of £1.1m, compared with a £97,503 loss in 2024.
Looking ahead, the company said it anticipates continued progress in its 2026 fiscal year, supported by ongoing innovation and investment in UK production.
