Chinese whispers

Date: 29/09/2010

It is apparently time again for another round of ‘How dare any international company consider a possible purchase of a proud, British national food institution?’ This time, it is a Chinese firm found to be encroaching on an ‘Iconic British brand loved by generations’ as the UK’s Daily Mail put it. (Forgetting that UB was actually bought only four years ago by US private equity group Blackstone and French boy-out company PAI Partners). The British media has been awash with speculation that the Bright Food Group has proposed a $3.1 billion purchase of United Biscuit, the producer of Digestives, Hula Hoops and Jaffa cakes.
Of course it is a big deal – it would be the biggest overseas food and beverage-related acquisition by a Chinese firm if it goes through. Let us just try to keep any xenophobic remarks out of the reporting. I’m quite sure that the 71 million packets of McVitie’s Chocolate Digestives eaten each year in the UK will be quite safe and still available for dunking.

All the best,

Katrine Kjoeller
Confectionery Production
Katrine@bellpublishing.com