Premier Foods

What Premier Foods does

Premier Foods plc is a UK-listed branded food manufacturer headquartered in St Albans, England, with a portfolio of iconic British grocery brands including Mr Kipling, OXO, Bisto, Ambrosia, Sharwood's, Batchelors, Loyd Grossman, Paxo, and Homepride. The company manufactures ambient and chilled food products across multiple UK production sites, with a £36 million capital investment at Worksop to bring Loyd Grossman cooking sauce production in-house by early 2028. Core brands are sold through major UK grocery retailers — Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer, and Morrisons — and through a growing foodservice channel anchored by the Bisto Professional Bouillon range endorsed by the Craft Guild of Chefs.

The company operates a branded growth model combining organic brand investment with bolt-on acquisitions in adjacent categories, including The Spice Tailor (ethnic Indian sauces, 2022), FUEL10K (protein-enriched breakfast, 2023), and Merchant Gourmet (premium plant-based, 2025), with the three acquired brands tracking toward a combined £100m in sales. Manufacturing capabilities include proprietary formulation and packaging technology, with five-year reformulation progress reducing salt, sugar, and calories by approximately 18-19% across branded grocery products. International distribution extends to North America, Europe, and Australia, with international revenue returning to double-digit growth (10%) in Q3 2026.

Premier Foods is publicly traded on the London Stock Exchange under ticker LON:PFD, with FY2026 revenue of £1.17bn (52 weeks ended 28 March 2026, up 2.5% year-on-year) and trading profit exceeding £200m (up nearly 7%). The company employs 1,001–5,000 people, has a market capitalisation of £1.73bn as of mid-July 2026, and is led by CEO Alex Whitehouse, who received the Grocer Cup at the 2026 Grocer Gold Awards.

Name

Premier Foods

Legal name

Premier Foods plc

Website

http://www.premierfoods.co.uk/

Company type

Public

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Premier Foods plc is a UK branded food manufacturer selling iconic grocery brands such as Mr Kipling, OXO, Bisto, and Ambrosia through major British supermarket chains and expanding into foodservice and international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Branded Packaged Food Manufacturing

NAICS

Food Manufacturing (311), Other Snack Food Manufacturing (311919)

SIC

Bakery Products (2050), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Pastry, Cakes & Tortes Manufacturing (AFAKAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Snack Bars (Granola, Protein, Cereal Bars) (CRADABAG)

Keywords

• Branded food manufacturing
• Ambient grocery products
• Cooking sauces seasonings
• Cakes and desserts
• Breakfast convenience foods

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint Albans

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Branded Grocery Products: Premier Foods generates the majority of its revenue from selling branded ambient food products through UK grocery retailers and international markets. The company reports revenues of £1.17bn for FY2026 (52 weeks ended March 2026), up 2.5% year-on-year, with branded revenue growth of 5.1% in the UK.
2. International Sales: International revenues grew 6% with double-digit growth resumed in Q3 2026, driven by strong performance in North America, Europe, and Australia, contributing to overall group revenue.
3. Foodservice / Professional: Premier Foods launched its Bisto Professional Bouillon range into the UK foodservice market, targeting professional kitchen users, representing a channel expansion beyond retail.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Premier Foods manufactures and sells branded ambient and chilled food products through UK grocery retailers and international markets, with a portfolio spanning cakes, cooking sauces, seasonings, breakfast foods, desserts, and quick meals under iconic British brands. The company's portfolio includes Mr Kipling, OXO, Bisto, Ambrosia, Sharwood's, Batchelors, Loyd Grossman, Paxo, and acquired brands The Spice Tailor, FUEL10K, and Merchant Gourmet, with a growing foodservice/professional channel targeting professional chefs.

Product overview

Premier Foods operates as a diversified food manufacturing company with a portfolio of branded grocery products organized across key categories including Baking, Breakfast, Cakes, Cooking Sauces & Accompaniments, Desserts, Flavours & Seasonings, and Quick Meals, Snacks & Soups. The company's core brands include Mr Kipling (premium cakes and baking), OXO (stock pots and seasonings), Bisto (gravy and bouillons), Ambrosia (desserts), Batchelors (convenience foods), Sharwood's (cooking sauces), and Paxo (stuffing). Premier Foods has pursued an acquisition-led growth strategy, adding FUEL10K (breakfast, 2023), The Spice Tailor (Indian sauces, 2022), and Merchant Gourmet (plant-based, 2025) to its portfolio. The company manufactures through its own facilities including its largest site in Worksop, where it is investing £36m to bring Loyd Grossman sauce production in-house by 2028.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mr Kipling: Premium cakes and pastries brand, one of the company's flagship sweet treats brands
• OXO
• Ambrosia
• Bisto
• Batchelors
• Sharwood's
• Loyd Grossman
• The Spice Tailor
• Merchant Gourmet
• FUEL10K

Products and services

• Mr Kipling Premier Foods' premium cake and baking brand offering cakes, pastries, and home baking products including the Signature home baking range with cake mixes and icing. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking sweet baked goods and home baking ingredients.
• OXO Stock pots and seasoning brand for family home cooking, featuring OXO stock pots and cubes marketed through family-centric campaigns. Targeted at UK household consumers preparing everyday meals.
• Bisto Gravy and seasoning brand including gravy granules and the new Professional Bouillon range for foodservice markets. Targets UK household consumers for everyday meals and professional kitchen operators for hospitality use.
• Ambrosia Desserts and rice pudding brand with products including rice pudding and custard. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking traditional British desserts.
• Batchelors Convenience food brand offering quick meals, snacks, and soups. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking convenient everyday meal solutions.
• Sharwood's Cooking sauces and accompaniments brand including curry kits, pasta sauces, and rice kits. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking Indian and Asian cooking solutions.
• Loyd Grossman Premium cooking sauce brand with a brand licensing agreement extended to 2034, featuring pasta sauces and newly launched rice kits. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking premium cooking sauces.
• FUEL10K Breakfast food brand acquired in October 2023 for £34 million, offering protein-enriched granola and porridge products showing strong double-digit revenue growth. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking protein-enriched breakfast options.
• The Spice Tailor Indian cooking sauce brand acquired in 2022 for £46 million, part of Premier Foods' expansion into ethnic cooking sauces. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking authentic Indian cuisine cooking solutions.
• Merchant Gourmet Plant-based and grain brand acquired in 2025 for £48 million, offering gourmet cooking ingredients and ready meals. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking premium and gourmet food offerings.
• Paxo Stuffing brand including Sage & Onion Stuffing, featured in limited-edition ice cream collaboration. Targeted at UK household consumers preparing traditional roast dinners.
• Homepride Pasta bake sauce brand launching new flavors including Marry Me Chicken and Fajita varieties to capitalise on viral food trends. Targeted at UK household consumers seeking convenient pasta meal solutions.
• Bisto Professional Bouillon Range Chef-designed, high-quality bouillons and seasonings for professional kitchen users in the UK hospitality and foodservice sector, available in paste and powder formats free from declarable allergens and gluten.

Quantifiable outcome

• Revenue of £1.17bn in FY2026, up 2.5% year-on-year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Stubben Edge GroupminorOthers · 2 July 2026Stubben Edge Group acquired Citadel Insurance Company from Premier Foods through its Guernsey-incorporated subsidiary, Stubben Edge International, strengthening Stubben Edge's presence across multiple jurisdictions.
• Sir Loyd GrossmancoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 26 November 2025Premier Foods extended its brand licensing agreement with Sir Loyd Grossman until 2034 (with an option for another five years), alongside a £36 million investment in its Worksop manufacturing site to bring Loyd Grossman cooking sauce production in-house from early 2028. The partnership, which began in 1995, has averaged 4.7% annual growth over the last five years.
• Loyd Grossman BrandcoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 20 November 2025Premier Foods announced a £36 million capital expenditure plan to expand its Worksop manufacturing facility, transitioning Loyd Grossman cooking sauces production from a third-party supplier to in-house by early 2028. The multi-year investment phases through 2029.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Premier Foods plc: Reference entry — the subject company itself; included only to flag the anchor.

Direct peers

• Associated British Foods plc: UK-listed food conglomerate (Twinings, Kingsmill, Patak's, Ryvita, Mazola) with a similarly diversified branded grocery portfolio sold through the same UK supermarket channels as Premier Foods; closest large-cap UK branded-food comparable.
• Bakkavor Group plc: UK-listed fresh prepared-food manufacturer supplying major grocers and foodservice operators; comparable channel mix (UK retail + foodservice) and similar scale of UK grocery relationships to Premier Foods.
• Cranswick plc: UK-listed food producer with growing UK grocery and foodservice exposure; overlaps with Premier Foods in branded protein/meal solutions and in scaling UK foodservice channels.
• McCormick & Company: Global seasonings and gravy manufacturer (Bisto competitor in UK retail) with branded and foodservice presence; closely comparable in category (gravy granules, stock, bouillons) and channel mix.

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé S.A. Global food giant with significant UK grocery presence (Maggi, KitKat, Purina, etc.); broad incumbent whose portfolio overlaps Premier Foods in ambient cooking sauces, desserts, and instant meals.
• Unilever plc: Owns Knorr (gravy/seasonings competitor to Bisto/OXO) and Hellmann's; broad incumbent with UK grocery distribution and seasonings portfolio that directly competes with Premier Foods' flavours & seasonings range.
• Campbell Soup Company: US-listed branded soup, sauce and snack company with a portfolio logic similar to Premier Foods (Batchelors, Bisto, Mr Kipling analogues); comparable in branded shelf-stable grocery categories.
• Tate & Lyle plc: UK-listed food ingredients and sweetener business; operates in overlapping UK food-manufacturing supply chains and competes for similar grocery and foodservice customers.
• Kraft Heinz Company: Global CPG incumbent with UK grocery brands across sauces, soups, and desserts; broad incumbent providing scale benchmarks and competitive pressure in overlapping ambient grocery categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/PremierFoodsPLC/?locale=en_GB
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/premier-foods

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A7 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Premier Foods