United Biscuits is expanding its McVitie’s biscuits range in the UK with the launch of the brand extension McVitie’s Quirks.Available for retailers to buy from the middle of the month, Quirks biscuits are aimed at “new, younger consumers”, Victoria Gregory, marketing controller for McVitie’s at United Biscuits, said. Quirks have a “smooth, chocolately centre, fully-enclosed within a crunchy biscuit”, the company added. There will be three variants available... ...Read more »

This year’s Food and Drink Innovation Dialogue, held in the UK town of Windsor this week, has heard what factors are affecting NPD in our sector. The likes of Heinz, United Biscuits, Baxters Food Group and Mead Johnson Nutrition have headed to the event to discuss issues including reformulation and the EU health claims legislation. Here are some of the more notable soundbites. Innovation and Reformulation “What work can be done to look at the influence of reformulation? Satisfying... ...Read more »

The owners of United Biscuits are reportedly looking to auction the company’s biscuits division for around GBP1.5 billion (US$2.39 billion), after China’s Bright Food walked away from talks to acquire the whole company. According to a report in The Mail on Sunday, the move would put the division, which makes brands like McVitie’s and Penguin, up for sale at a value of around nine times last year’s profits – which worth 80% of United Biscuits’ total GBP223m profit. The... ...Read more »

Talks to sell UK-based snack group United Biscuits, manufacturer of McVities, to China’s Bright Food are “effectively dead,” the Wall Street Journal has reported. Citing sources familiar with the situation, the WSJ said that discussions between Bright Food and United Biscuits’ private-equity owners were “near collapse”. UB owners Blackstone and PAI Partners had started exclusive talks with Bright Food on a deal that was estimated at around US$3.2bn. The WSJ said... ...Read more »

Chinese food group Bright Food is in talks to purchase UK-based United Biscuits, owner of the McVities brand, according to reports. It is understood that the deal, which would be the largest-ever overseas acquisition by a Chinese company in the food industry, would be worth around US$3.2 billion, Reuters reported yesterday. The board of United Biscuits allegedly gave its private-equity owners, Blackstone and PAI Partners, permission in July to sell the business. Shanghai-based Bright Food controls... ...Read more »

It will come as no surprise to those following the food industry news to learn that two of the top five most-read stories on just-food this week are about the potential sale of UK snack and biscuit maker United Biscuits.The prospect of a deal, despite the fact that it is still to be confirmed by the company itself, has captured the imagination as only a large M&A move can. Along with the rumours over the possible change of ownership at French yoghurt maker Yoplait and reported bids for John West... ...Read more »

British-based baked goods and snacks giant United Biscuits, producer of McVities, Carr’s, Jaffa Cakes, McCoy’s and Phileas Fogg, is rumoured to be next for the hammer, with UK news outlets reporting that a sale is under consideration. Owners, private equity firms Blackstone Group LP and PAI Partners, could net as much as 2 billion pounds (A$3.4 billion) for the sale of the company they purchased in 2006, for 1.6 billion. There is also speculation that the biscuit and snack divisions of... ...Read more »