Nestlé acquires SimplyCook, a British producer of recipe kits. For the FMCG giant, it is a new step in the direct-to-consumer market.
Expansion outside Great Britain
Since 2014, SimplyCook has been supplying boxes with recipes and the accompanying “specific supplies”, such as spices and sauces, to consumers in the UK and Ireland. Unlike, say, HelloFresh, customers still have to add the fresh ingredients themselves. Therefore, the boxes lend themselves to be sold at supermarkets as well.
The young company is now in the hands of Nestlé, which wants to use acquisitions to capitalise on growth trends such as healthy food and direct-to-consumer sales. Recently, the brand manufacturer also bought meal box providers Mindful Chef and Tails. How many pounds Nestlé is putting on the table for the acquisition is unknown, but The Times suspects it will be several millions.
It is intended that the SimplyCook team itself will remain at the helm, but will receive support from Nestlé. Thus, the FMCG player thinks it will be able to bring in food expertise and R&D capacity in particular, according to a press release. ” This is an ideal partnership for both parties as Nestlé continues to transform its portfolio and SimplyCook accelerates its growth,” said Stefano Agostini, CEO for Nestlé UK & Ireland. Together, the two companies hope to introduce SimplyCook outside the UK.
