Compass Group to acquire CH&Co in £475m deal

Compass Group has confirmed it has agreed to acquire CH&Co in a £475m deal.

The deal will further strengthen Compass's presence in the B&I market, which it currently operates through brands including Eurest and 14Forty.

CH&Co has been built by chief executive Bill Toner (pictured) working with chairman Tim Jones through some significant mergers. It acquired Gather & Gather from Mitie in 2019, bringing on board industry heavyweight Allister Richards.

Since then the group has taken on business and industry caterers such as Vacherin, which this month appointed chef and author Sabrina Gidda as culinary consultant, and Blue Apple, along with education caterer Pabulum.

Compass Group chief executive Dominic Blakemore said: "CH&Co is a highly regarded foodservice business in our industry. This proposed acquisition combines the best of the two companies: our shared passion for people, great food, and focus on sustainability. With CH&Co's strong brand identity and a broad geographic reach, we would be able to further enhance our customer proposition, helping us capitalise on the significant growth potential in the market."

Bill Toner added: "We're delighted that Compass wants to acquire CH&Co. The prospect of joining a leading global provider of food services offers huge potential for us and our clients. Creativity and innovation are skills that we share with Compass and food is at the heart of everything we do.

"Both businesses have strong and complementary brands, and subject to regulatory approval, there is a great opportunity for us to learn from each other and to build an even more exciting future together."