Northern Foods has acquired oriental foods manufacturer Ethnic Cuisine for an undisclosed sum.

Ethnic Cuisine supplies chilled ready meals and snacks to Sainsbury's and Brakes, and at 31 March 2007 had gross assets of £13.9m and revenue of £24.0m.

Northern Foods said the acquisition would help it to widen its ready meals customer base.

"This acquisition gives us further competitive strength in the ready meals market, and is in line with our previously stated strategy of developing this growing market and expanding our customer base,” said Northern Foods CEO Stefan Barden.