BAKO Group Limited, headquartered in Preston, UK, announced the full acquisition of James A. S. Finlay Limited (Finlay’s Foods) from Northern Ireland, on April 3, 2024. Finlay’s employs a staff of around 60 people and sells food ingredients, including specialties for bakery, across the UK, Europe and Asia. The Irish company more than doubled its profit in 2023 (GBP1.2 m, pre-tax), compared to the previous year (GBP 534 k, pre-tax), Belfast Telegraph reports. Finlay’s turnover was up by 37%, from GBP 19.4m in 2022 to GBP 26.5m last year.

BAKO CEO Mike Tully said: “This acquisition opens up new markets for us in Northern Ireland and beyond, offering significant growth opportunities. Finlay’s Foods has established a strong presence and loyal customer base, which we intend to build upon and expand. By integrating Finlay’s Foods’ product line with our own, we are able to diversify our offerings and enhance our competitive edge. Their expertise in bakery products complements our current portfolio and opens up a wide range of cross-selling opportunities.”

Patrick Gracey, Sales Director of Finlay’s Foods, also commented on the news: “We are excited that Finlay’s Foods is now part of the BAKO Group. Finlay’s have had a long-standing relationship with Bako both as a customer and supplier for over 20 years. This is a natural evolution that benefits both companies and will enable us to build on our customer-focused approach, facilitating the delivery of more choice opportunities and benefits to our loyal customer base.

A supplier of bakery products and ingredients servicing customers throughout the UK, BAKO Group celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2024.

Photos: brioche bread, tartlet with jam. Credit: Finlay’s Foods