Gerald McDonald & Company

We’re delighted to have advised an Essex-based food and drink supplier on its acquisition of an established provider of quality dried ingredients.

Headquartered in Basildon, Gerald McDonald Group is a family-owned business and the largest independent juice blender in the UK. For over 100 years it has supplied the food and drink sector with its wide range of juices, concentrates, herbs and spices.

The business has now acquired Demos Ciclitira, an importer and packer of dried ingredients including fruits, seeds and grains that has also operated in the region for nearly 100 years.

This acquisition has helped Gerald McDonald to further grow its presence in the food and drink sector with a company that has similar commitments to traceability and quality.  It has also allowed the business to establish new product lines, expanding its network for sourcing ingredients so it now covers six continents.

Our Corporate Finance team, led by Partner Chris Adlam, and Assistant Manager Mark Ellis, were appointed by Gerald McDonald as lead advisers on the deal. We led the negotiations on valuation and deal structure and were supported by Joanne Price, Matt Field and Emma Crick providing financial and tax due diligence services.

Chris Adlam, Partner at FRP Corporate Finance, said: “This deal marks an exciting time for Maxim and the team at Gerald McDonald. Not only will it help the business further strengthen its market presence, but the potential to build economies of scale between the two businesses will provide a major boost to their operations and support their continued growth.

“At the same time, it’s great that Gerald McDonald has been able to acquire a company that has similar values to its own. I look forward to seeing how both businesses reap the rewards from this transaction in the coming years.”

Maxim McDonald, Managing Director at Gerald McDonald & Company, added: “We are delighted to welcome the Demos team to Gerald McDonald. Both businesses share a proud heritage, a passion for food, and a dedication to customer service. This acquisition enables us to expand our complete offering – from liquid concentrates to dried fruits, grains and pulses – while upholding the highest standards in quality, accreditation, and food safety testing. It also allows us to bring more locally managed supply capabilities to our manufacturing and retail partners across the UK.

“The assistance provided by Chris and the rest of the team at FRP Corporate Finance was invaluable. Their professionalism and proactive approach helped us throughout this process and played a key part in getting this deal over the line.”