Kitwave acquires Creed Foodservice to lead its Foodservice division

Kitwave Wholesale Group (Kitwave) has acquired Creed Foodservice for an undisclosed sum.

The move will see Creed Foodservice take on the principal role within Kitwave’s Foodservice division, which includes the trading operations of David Miller Frozen Foods, Total Foodservice, MJ Baker Foodservice and Westcountry Food Holdings.

With Creed’s scale, Kitwave’s Foodservice division will see depot numbers increase to 10 (16 including the on-trade business), further establishing the business as a national distributor with a total customer base of 10,700 across education, healthcare, leisure, hospitality, business and industry, and out-of-home sectors, with its annual revenues approaching £275 million.

There will be no changes to the Creed depot; operational, sales and head office teams; management team; and board.

Chris Creed remains CEO of Creed Foodservice, with Philip de Ternant continuing as chairman, responsible for the strategic overview and integration into the Foodservice division. Miles Roberts will continue to be managing director, running the day-to-day operation with his current directors. Philip Creed, the other family member involved in the business, will continue to support the company’s sustainability initiatives.

Chris Creed commented: “We have been evaluating our plans to take our business to the next stage for some time now and are delighted to be able to share our growth plans.

“Our objectives have always been to keep the Creed name, remain a member of the Country Range Group, secure the right investment, and strengthen our infrastructure and capacity to secure our long-term growth, and I’m pleased to say that all these goals have been achieved.

“Creed’s ethos and business approach remain at the heart of our operations. Creed has thrived on family values for over 50 years and our people, culture and values remain woven into the fabric of our extended business. This move strengthens our position within the market, offering the best possible outcome for our business, people and customers.”

Ben Maxted, CEO at Kitwave Wholesale Group, added: “Creed has an exceptional heritage and is one of the UK’s leading foodservice wholesalers, so we are delighted to have reached this agreement, which will extend our Foodservice division. Strategically, Creed will significantly expand our geographical presence, bridging our operations in the North and South and creating a fully integrated national delivery network.

“We are looking forward to working with Creed’s dedicated and experienced team and excited to see our Foodservice division continue to go from strength to strength.”

Founded in 1987 following the acquisition of a single-site confectionery wholesale business based in North Shields, Kitwave’s growth to date has been achieved both organically and through a strategy of acquiring predominantly family-owned, complementary businesses in the fragmented UK grocery and foodservice wholesale market.

Creed Foodservice, founded in 1972, specialises in providing a comprehensive range of products and services to caterers and chefs across the UK. Its range covers grocery, frozen, chilled, Creed Fresh Produce, Creed Family Butchers, beverages, alcohol and non-food categories. It is a founding member of Country Range Group.