BDO has advised the shareholders of Thomas Ridley and Son Limited, trading as Thomas Ridley Foodservice, on its sale to Bidcorp UK.
Thomas Ridley Foodservice is an independently run foodservice supplier which opened its doors back in 1808 and has fantastic, longstanding experience in servicing customers across a variety of sectors including healthcare, education, hospitality, hotels, restaurants and retail. Operating from the heart of Suffolk, the business offers a fast, comprehensive and environmentally-conscious service delivering to over 2,000 catering and hospitality customers throughout the eastern counties and London.
Bidcorp UK, a subsidiary of Johannesburg-listed Bidvest Group, has supplied fresh, frozen and ambient food, beers, wines, spirits, catering essentials and catering equipment to customers in a wide range of sectors for more than 20 years, as a leading foodservice wholesaler.
After joining Bidcorp UK, Thomas Ridley will continue operating as an autonomous and independent business, gaining support from a financial and strategic perspective to further improve and develop its offer and service level to its customers whilst keeping its family values. It will join the Caterfood Buying Group, now one of the main buying groups serving the foodservice wholesale sector.
“The BDO team were great to work with. They were responsive, supportive and tenacious, and it felt like we had a real partnership to get the deal over the line together. Their deep sector experience and connections meant that we could access the market widely and identify the right buyer. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking to sell their business.”
Justin Godfrey, Group Managing Director, Thomas Ridley & Son Ltd
"Thomas Ridley Foodservice is a thriving foodservice supplier with a fantastic history and reputation in its key markets. We at BDO have very much enjoyed working on the transaction alongside the Group Managing Director Justin Godfrey and the other members of the Thomas Ridley team, who will remain with the business. The transaction will safeguard the future of the business as an independently operated company within the Bidfood Group as it looks to continue to grow over the coming years. We wish them every success for the future."
John Gethen, Director, BDO