Specialist food supplier Winterbotham Darby - producer of own-label lines and the Unearthed meat and tapas brand - has acquired a majority stake in premium dips business G’Nosh for an undisclosed sum.
Founded in 2012 by Charlotte Knight, who remains a “significant” shareholder, G’Nosh sells its dips through retailers including Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Budgens.
Surrey-based Winterbotham Darby said the deal would boost G’Nosh’s development and production capabilities, while helping Winterbotham Darby diversify into new categories such as the £156m chilled dips market [Kantar Worldpanel 52 w/e 4 January 2015].
Plans include rolling out a new look for G’Nosh early this summer, when the brand will expand into a new category.
“The shift is about us growing up as a brand,” said Knight. “We want to focus on the development of exceptional products with flavour influences from around the world.”
Meanwhile, Winterbotham Darby is to expand the range it offers in branded chiller cabinet bays in Waitrose stores.
This month it will roll out seven new lines including Smoked Semi-Dried Tomatoes, Olives with Chipotle & Manchego, and Olives with Sipsmith Gin. They will be listed exclusively in Waitrose on two-for-£5 promotions in the lead-up to summer.
The launch follows the September 2013 rollout of the branded bays, which have contributed to a 30% year-on-year growth in Unearthed brand sales to £20m, said founder Simon Day.
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