Northern Ireland sauce leader set for faster export growth from French takeover
Rich Sauces, Northern Ireland’s biggest and most successful producer of a range of catering sauces and mayonnaise has been acquired by Solina, a French leader in the foodservice sector.
Based near Rennes in Brittany, Solina says the acquisition of the business in Newtownards, Co Down “further consolidates our unique sauce footprint in Europe and strengthens our leading position in the foodservice sector”.
Solina says the decision to acquire Rich Sauces was influenced by the Northern Ireland family enterprise’s success in establishing itself as “an industry-leading, service-driven partner in the Irish foodservice sector”.
Rich Sauces offered “innovative and premium sauce solutions such as classic mayonnaise, flavoured mayonnaises, dressings, sauces, and bouillons”.
The company had consistently grown, supplying the UK, Ireland, and beyond for over 35 years.
“Approximately 75% of Rich Sauces’ business is conducted in the foodservice sector, driven by its two renowned brands, Rich Sauces and Alfee’s,” Solina said in a media release.
The remaining 25% involved private label products for food manufacturers and retailers.
Rich Sauces employs around 100 people and is running all operations from the state-of-the-art production plant in Newtownards.
Commenting on the acquisition, Trevor Kells and Michael Haddock, former owners of Rich Sauces, said: “Rich Sauces focuses on quality, innovation, and service. We believe Solina is the perfect partner to enhance our solutions, and we look forward to collaborating with their foodservice entities across Europe and
North America.”
John Glover, managing director of Rich Sauces, added: “We are excited to join Solina, whose expertise will help us build on our growth and improve our customer offering. We look forward to working with the Solina teams.”
Solina chief executive, Anthony Francheterre, continued: “I am particularly impressed by Rich Sauces’ uncompromising approach to quality in every aspect of their products and services. I am confident that the synergies with our legacy foodservice division will deliver substantial value to our customers.”
Solina said the acquisition comes at a time when consumer trends are shifting toward diversified cold sauces. Within the condiments market, flavoured mayo accounts for over seven percent of overall US mayo sales and ranges from zingy
French garlic to the Tex-Mex smoky tones of BBQ.
“The flavoured sauce market also aligns with the current consumer pivot toward salads and health-conscious diets, a demand partly fuelled by the prioritization of natural ingredients over artificial additives.”
In a similar business move last year, Solina acquired Jermayo, a Belgian sauce manufacturer. With the acquisition, the French global food player aimed to augment its production and distribution capabilities within the savoury food products sector, specifically in the Benelux region.
Solina is a leading global partner for the food industry that has “the local knowledge and global scale to address the most significant and pressing challenges”.
“We design customised ingredient solutions for our clients operating in the food industry, food service, butchery and nutrition markets. We want to contribute to the production of food that is delicious, nourishing, affordable, sustainable and convenient,’” Solina continued. “We work with more than 18,000 customers from all corners of the food industry. Our community of over 2,200 people share a passion for food and an entrepreneurial spirit.
“The solutions we generate contribute to the production of food concepts that deliver on culinary taste, enhanced nutrition and functional performance. Our offer goes beyond just providing products as we deliver products in combination with unrivalled customer services to exceed expectations. At Solina, we make
food matter.”
Rich Sauces, which is a major supplier of products to foodservice organisations throughout the British Isles, Europe and the US, has a longstanding commitment to healthy products in particular.
The company’s mission is: “To manufacture and sell quality ranges that stand out from the competition in flavour, versatility and performance, developing new and existing markets profitably.”
Established in 1998, Rich Sauces is now Ireland’s leading producer of sauces,dressings and bouillon. The company’s client portfolio currently includes foodservice/catering, sandwich and salad manufacturers, industrial catering, ready meals, restaurateurs and retailers. The products are developed by an experienced team of chefs working closely with customers.
Founder Trevor Kells and his parents developed a unique mayonnaise that set the business on the road to success. This luxurious mayonnaise, the ingredients of which remain the same to this day, forms part of the company’s heritage, that has helped to establish Rich Sauces as a trusted name in the foodservice
industry throughout the UK, Ireland and internationally.
From a modest mayonnaise production set up in the utility room of Trevor’s home in Belfast, Rich Sauces has grown and developed through its passion for innovation to a business which has state-of-the-art production facilities featuring a dedicated innovation kitchen and training suite.