EG Group acquires bakery business Cooplands

Forecourt major EG Group today announced the acquisition of the UK’s second-largest bakery chain Cooplands.

Founded by Frederick and Alice Coopland in 1885, Cooplands runs about 180 stores and cafes, predominantly across the north-east and Yorkshire regions, which are supplied by its three bakeries that process ingredients and manufacture fresh food.

The business employs more than 1,600 colleagues.

“We are very pleased to welcome Cooplands’ many talented colleagues to the EG Group family,” Mohsin and Zuber Issa, co-founders and co-CEOs of EG Group, commented.

“Cooplands has a proven track record in the fresh bakery sector and vertical integration with EG Group will help to further drive our success in foodservice, where we continue to see strong growth opportunities in the UK and globally.”

EG Group said the acquisition will accelerate its diversification into foodservice, adding highly complementary assets that will drive development opportunities in other parts of the business.

Last week, the business has announced the acquisition of 52 KFC restaurants in the UK from Amsric Group. The acquisition of Cooplands as a proprietary brand follows the group’s acquisition of fast food chain Leon earlier this year.

EG Group said it plans to invest in the Cooplands brand and fresh food offer, adding that it will provide a platform to diversify the Cooplands brand into the transient petrol forecourt and retail convenience store channel, alongside the bakery chain’s traditional store formats.

“The transaction will broaden the reach of Cooplands beyond the brand’s northern heartlands and bring its much-loved food to more existing and new customers through EG Group’s unparalleled network of roadside forecourts and retail convenience stores. We know that Cooplands’ impressive bakery platform and our food service expertise will be a winning combination,” the Issa brothers said.

Belinda Youngs, CEO of Cooplands, added: “Cooplands is proud to be joining EG Group and bringing our long history of skills and expertise in the bakery industry in both manufacturing and retail to the company. We are looking forward to a great future for the Cooplands brand.”