Bidcorp acquires Harvest Fine Foods

Bidcorp UK has acquired Harvest Fine Foods, an independently run foodservice supplier to more than 1,000 catering establishments  across the South of England.

The Totton-based business, which opened its doors in 1988, offers a range of 4,500 products including fresh and chilled produce and store cupboard ingredients from over 40 local suppliers.

Andrew Selley, CEO of Bidcorp UK, commented: “We are delighted to welcome the Harvest Fine Foods team into the Bidcorp family where it will join the Caterfood Buying Group, our growing network of independent businesses including Nichol Hughes, Elite Fine Foods, Caterfood, South Lincs Foodservice and Cimandis.

“Harvest Fine Foods is already a thriving foodservice supplier, achieving a compound growth of 20% over the last 12 years. It will continue operating as an autonomous and independent business, in line with the decentralised model we already successfully employ within the Caterfood Buying Group.

“We have been really impressed by their passion, their ethical ethos and their reputation for providing ethically-sourced, fantastic local produce, as well as great service to their customers. We look forward to supporting the team with our financial and strategic strength alongside their local expertise and range.”

Richard Strongman, managing director of Harvest Fine Foods, added: “We are looking forward to becoming part of the Bidcorp family, which shares our passion for quality products, competitive prices and unrivalled service. The team will continue to focus on the development and growth of our successful, service-led business, under the same identity and culture.”

Harvest Fine Foods will begin operating under Catering Buying Group on 17 January 2023.

As a consequence of the development, Harvest Fine Foods has left the Country Range Group with immediate effect. Harvest had been a member since September 2016.

Country Range Group chief executive Martin Ward commented: “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with the team at Harvest this past six years. We have achieved some fantastic successes together and made some magical memories along the way, even during some incredibly challenging economic times. We wish Richard Strongman, his team and the business all the best in the future.”

He added: “Our individual members continue to be incredibly passionate about their independence so while we respect Richard’s decision to sell, it was impossible for Harvest to retain its CRG membership.”