Orchard Valley Foods

What Orchard Valley Foods does

Orchard Valley Foods (trading as OV Group) is a UK-headquartered, multi-site manufacturer of confectionery ingredients and decorations, operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Norwegian-listed conglomerate Orkla ASA. The company produces caramel and fudge, sugar decorations (sprinkles, pearls, shapes), chocolate shapes and coatings (all from Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa), marshmallows, biscuits, and specialty inclusions for bakery, ice cream, chocolate, and dessert applications. Manufacturing and sales operations span nine facilities across the UK (Tenbury Wells, St Ives, Harrogate, Leominster, Glasgow, Wolverhampton), Sweden (Malmö), Switzerland (Zufikon), and Germany, supported by acquired specialty brands including Cake Decor, McDougalls, ChocoDecs, Copperpot, and Additions.

The company's commercial model is B2B field sales targeting three primary segments: food and beverage manufacturers (industrial bakery, ice cream, chocolate producers), foodservice and wholesale operators (QSR, FSR, cafes, hotels), and retailers/private label (managing 30+ private label ranges across leading European retailers). Revenue is generated through custom unit pricing with minimum order quantities ranging from 108kg to 504kg depending on product, supplemented by dedicated co-creation and product development services delivered through on-site development kitchens and 1-2 day Product Solution Workshops. FY2024 turnover was £36m, with a stated headcount of 170 in the Modern Slavery Statement and broader claims of 250+ experts across locations. Beyond core confectionery, the company has expanded into adjacent categories through OV Dairy Supplies (cultures, coagulants, fermentation inputs) and OV Ingredients (freeze-dried fruits, dairy powders, cereals, pulses), and completed the acquisition of Phoenix Brands in May 2026 to broaden the platform. The company's competitive positioning rests on certified production standards (BRC AA/AA+, Orkla Food Safety Standard, SEDEX, RSPO), 20+ years of category expertise, and an annual output of 300+ new product lines at its Swedish facility alone.

Name

Orchard Valley Foods

Legal name

Orchard Valley Foods Limited

Website

https://ovgrp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Orchard Valley Foods (OV Group) is a UK-headquartered, multi-site manufacturer of confectionery ingredients and decorations — including caramel, sugar sprinkles, chocolate inclusions, marshmallows, and biscuits — supplying food manufacturers, foodservice operators, and private label retailers across Europe as a subsidiary of Orkla ASA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Confectionery Ingredients

NAICS

Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing (3113), Nonchocolate Confectionery Manufacturing (311340), Other Food Manufacturing (3119)

SIC

Sugar & Confectionery Products (2060), Cookies & Crackers (2052), Miscellaneous Food Preparations & Kindred Products (2090)

akta.pro primary industry

Rice Cakes & Grain Snack Manufacturing (AFAKAIAK)

Keywords

• Confectionery ingredients
• Bakery decorations supplier
• Ice cream inclusions
• Private label confectionery
• Food ingredient manufacturer

Headquarters

HQ city

Tenbury Wells

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. B2B Confectionery Ingredients: Sale of confectionery ingredients and decorations (fudge, sprinkles, inclusions, marshmallows, chocolate products) to industrial food manufacturers, bakeries, ice cream makers, and chocolate producers worldwide.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Development and manufacturing of private label products for major retailers across Europe. The company manages more than 30 private label ranges for leading retailers.
3. Foodservice Distribution: Distribution of confectionery ingredients and decorations to foodservice operators including QSR, FSR, cafes, and hotel chains through dedicated foodservice brands including McDougalls, Additions, ChocoDecs and Copperpot.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Orchard Valley Foods (OV Group) manufactures and supplies confectionery ingredients and decorations — including caramel and fudge, sugar sprinkles and inclusions, chocolate shapes and coatings, marshmallows, biscuits and speciality toppings — to industrial food and beverage manufacturers, foodservice operators and major retailers across Europe and globally. The company operates multi-site production in the UK, Sweden and Switzerland, manages 30+ private label ranges for leading European retailers, and supports customers with bespoke product development and co-creation NPD services.

Product overview

OV Group is a global confectionery ingredients and decorations company operating as a multi-site manufacturer and part of Orkla ASA. The company offers an extensive portfolio organized into distinct product lines: Caramel Confections (fudge, toffee, nougat, honeycomb, caramelised products), Sugar Confections (sprinkles, pearls, shapes, strands, crispies), Chocolate Confections (chips, chunks, curls, domes, shells, drageés, coatings), Marshmallows (mini, micro, mega sizes), Biscuits (crumbs, balls, chunks), and Specialities (aroma pastes, dipping sauces, glitters, icings, extrusion toppings, special mixes). These are supported by Ingredients (fruits, cereals, dairy powders, pulses, chocolate) and Dairy Supplies (cultures, coagulants). The portfolio is distributed through sub-brands including ChocoDecs (premium chocolate decorations), Additions and McDougalls (foodservice), Copperpot (artisanal fudge), and Cake Décor (consumer cake decorations). Services include custom product development, co-creation workshops, and tailored support across bakery, ice cream, chocolate, and dairy applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ChocoDecs: Premium chocolate decorations including domes, shells, shapes and coatings, made with Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa, crafted in St Ives, Cornwall.
• Cake Decor
• Copperpot
• McDougalls
• Additions

Products and services

• Caramel Confections A range of caramel, fudge and toffee confectionery suitable for industrial bakeries, food manufacturers and QSR. Includes soft caramel (fudge pieces, plant-based fudjie, truffle), hard caramel (toffee and brittle, nougat, butterscotch, honeycomb, Toffeecomb and buttercroquant) and caramelised products (nuts, inclusions).
• Sugar Confections Sugar-based decorations including pearls, shapes, strands and flakes, crispies and crunches, nonpareils and seasonal sprinkles, used by large-scale bakeries, ice cream and chocolate manufacturers and QSRs to add flavour and colour to their creations.
• Chocolate Confections A full range of chocolate shapes, chips, chunks, inclusions and coatings for food manufacturers and food service, all made from Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa. Includes drageés, coatings, plaques and shapes, domes and shells, lentils and beans, and drops, chips, chunks and curls.
• Marshmallows Marshmallows in mini, micro and mega sizes for industrial bakeries, food manufacturers, food service and QSR applications.
• Biscuits Biscuit and cookie pieces, crumbs and balls for decoration and inclusion in industrial bakeries, food manufacturing and QSR, including biscuit balls, crumbs and cookie chunks.
• Specialities Specialty products including aroma pastes (caramel paste, almond paste dark, caramel brûlée paste), dipping sauces (milk chocolate sauce pots, salted caramel sauce pots), glitters, icings and frostings, extrusion caramel topping, and special mixes.
• OV Ingredients A range of high-quality ingredients including roller-dried fruits and vegetables, freeze-dried fruits, cereals and ancient grains, dairy powders, caramelised syrups and powders, culinary powders, pulses and fibres, and chocolate and compounds.
• OV Dairy Supplies Cultures, coagulants, waxes and reagents for artisan and industrial producers of cheese, yogurt and other fermented products, covering both dairy and plant-based systems.
• ChocoDecs Premium chocolate decorations sub-brand made in St Ives, Cornwall, including versatile shapes for every season with bespoke options, crafted with Rainforest Alliance certified chocolate.
• Cake Decor OV Group's UK consumer and professional cake decoration brand, producing sugar sprinkles, shapes, edible decorations, cake kits and frosting for major UK retailers, bakery brands and home bakers.
• Copperpot Award-winning Cornish fudge sub-brand handcrafted in St Ives, Cornwall, with classic and seasonal flavours including Clotted Cream, Caramel and Sea Salt, and Chocolate and Orange.
• McDougalls Foodservice sub-brand offering chocolate chips, mallows and bakery ingredients for professional foodservice use.
• Additions Foodservice sub-brand offering confectionery ingredients, decorations and inclusions including sprinkles, mallows and chocolate chips for professional foodservice use.
• Custom Product Development Expert NPD support and co-creation services to help customers develop tailored confectionery solutions that combine taste, texture and value, designed to integrate into customer production processes.
• Product Solution Workshop Immersive 1–2 day co-creation sessions held at OV's specialist sites across Europe, combining ideation sessions, market insights, technical problem solving and on-site development kitchens.

Quantifiable outcome

• Develops 300+ new product lines each year at OV Sweden alone
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bakels: Global bakery ingredient manufacturer with strong UK presence (British Bakels), producing chocolate, fillings, and decorations for industrial bakers and foodservice operators. Directly competes with OV Group in UK and international bakery ingredient markets.
• Macphie: UK-based ingredient manufacturer producing sauces, fillings, toppings, and bakery ingredients for foodservice and industrial customers. Closely comparable in scale, UK geography, and product offering to OV Group's confectionery ingredient portfolio.
• Lesaffre: French global fermentation and baking specialist that acquired CSM Ingredients, including chocolate and bakery inclusion businesses. Direct competitor in bakery and confectionery ingredients serving industrial customers across Europe.
• Barry Callebaut: World's leading chocolate manufacturer producing decorations, inclusions, fillings, and specialty chocolate for industrial B2B customers. Direct competitor to OV Group in chocolate-based ingredients for bakery, ice cream, and confectionery manufacturers globally.
• Doehler: German-headquartered global supplier of natural ingredients, flavours, compounds, and ingredient systems for beverages, bakery, confectionery, and ice cream. Direct competitor in confectionery and ice cream ingredient applications serving industrial customers.
• Dawn Foods: US-headquartered global bakery ingredient manufacturer with chocolate, sugar decorations, fillings, and inclusions. Direct competitor in bakery and confectionery ingredients serving similar industrial, foodservice, and retail customers.
• Puratos: Belgian global supplier of bakery, patisserie, and chocolate ingredients to industrial bakers, foodservice operators, and retailers. Closely comparable to OV Group in B2B ingredient model, customer base, and product breadth across inclusions and decorations.

Broad incumbents

• Tate & Lyle: UK-headquartered global food ingredient manufacturer offering sweeteners, texturants, and specialty ingredients. Overlaps with OV Group in bulk and specialty sweet ingredients for confectionery and bakery applications, though not a direct competitor in decorations and inclusions.
• ADM: US-headquartered global nutrition and agricultural processing company with extensive cocoa, chocolate, and confectionery ingredient capabilities. Competes as a scale incumbent in B2B confectionery ingredient markets through its Nutrition and Olenex businesses.
• Cargill: US-headquartered agricultural and food ingredient conglomerate with significant cocoa and chocolate operations supplying industrial B2B customers. Competes with OV Group across multiple confectionery ingredient categories as part of a much broader portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/orchvalleyfoods

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Orchard Valley Foods