OV UK acquires Phoenix Brands

May 18, 2026
Orchard Foods Valley Ltd (“OV UK”), a subsidiary of Orkla Food Ingredients (“OFI”), has signed and completed an agreement to acquire 100% of the shares in Phoenix Brands Ltd (“Phoenix Brands”), a UK-based producer of biscuits and baked inclusions.

With the acquisition, OV UK strengthens their position within the sweet inclusions category and supports the further development of manufacturing capabilities in the UK market.

Phoenix Brands represents a complementary addition to OV UK’s activities, providing manufacturing capabilities within biscuits and baked inclusions. The company serves customers across bakery, dairy and confectionery applications with its own production site.

“Phoenix Brands represents a strong strategic fit for OV UK. The company has built a focused and scalable platform with long‑standing customer relationships and a clear position within its niche. This acquisition strengthens our capabilities within sweet inclusions and enhances the value offering we bring to customers in the UK market,” says Coen Louwerse, CEO of OV UK.

“This acquisition is well aligned with our strategy of strengthening our ingredients portfolio through targeted investments in attractive categories with strong fundamentals. Phoenix Brands supports our ambition to build leading, specialised positions in selected segments over time,” says Tor Osmundsen, CEO OFI Sweet Ingredients.

“Phoenix Brands has developed into a well‑run business with a strong market position, built on product quality, technical expertise and close customer collaboration. I am pleased that the company is becoming part of OV UK and OFI, and I look forward to remaining involved in the business to support continuity and its continued development,” says Andy Richards, previous owner and Managing Director of Phoenix Brands.

The parties have agreed to keep the purchase price confidential.

About Orkla Food Ingredients

Orkla Food Ingredients (“OFI”) supplies ingredients to a broad range of customers in the bakery, ice cream and plant-based markets, and has a leading position in Europe and a platform for growth in the USA. Important sales channels include industrial manufacturers that chiefly manufacture and supply products to the grocery channel, the Out of Home channel, for example through artisanal bakeries and ice cream kiosks, and direct sales to consumers. The biggest product categories are bread and cake improvers and mixes, yeast, marzipan, ice cream ingredients and margarine and butter blends.

About OV UK

OV UK is part of Orkla Food Ingredients and is a leading supplier of sweet ingredients in the UK. The company offers a broad portfolio of products and solutions, serving both industrial and artisanal customers, and focuses on developing strong customer partnerships through category expertise, product quality and reliable delivery.


Originally published by Orkla

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