William Jackson Food Group, the UK company behind Aunt Bessie’s frozen food and organic food retailer Abel & Cole, has struck a deal to buy health-focused business The Food Doctor.

The acquisition sees The Food Doctor join a privately-owned group that also includes bakery brand Jacksons and produce business MyFresh. William Jackson Food Group also supplies own-label products to retailers.

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Officials at William Jackson Food Group had not provided further comment at the time of writing.

The Food Doctor products are available at Tesco, Waitrose and Ocado. The line ranges from seeds and quinoa to bagels, pitta breads and snack bars.

The business was launched in 1999 by nutritionists Ian Marber and Vicki Edgson. According to his LinkedIn page, Marber left the business in 2011. Edgson is an independent nutritionist and consultant, running a clinic in London.

According to the William Jackson Food Group website, one of the company’s executives, Ian Hunt, has become MD of The Food Doctor. Hunt joined The William Jackson Food Group in 2008 after 14 years at the then HJ Heinz.

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Hunt’s most recent role at William Jackson Food Group was as MD, corporate development. He took the post in April 2015 after three years as MD of MyFresh. William Jackson Food Group formed MyFresh in 2014 when it merged two businesses it already owned – Hazeldene and Parripak.

William Jackson Food Group’s most recent acquisition was of Abel & Cole in 2012.

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