Burts Snacks owner set to be acquired by private equity firm

Based in France, Europe Snacks is a leading private label manufacturer of savoury snacks that acquired Devon crisp and popcorn manufacturer Burts Snacks​​ in February 2023.

The firm first entered the UK market in 2016 following the acquisition of Kolak Snack Foods and now operates four production units in the country alongside a head office.

A deal between current Europe Snacks owner Apax Partners and One Rock has been in the works for much of 2024, according to sister title The Grocer.

However, the New York investment firm has now entered into an exclusive agreement to acquire Europe Snacks, adding to its portfolio which includes BlueTriton water and OLM Food Solutions.

‘Europe Snacks is a leader in the private label snack market’

Commenting on the deal, One Rock partner Kurt Beyer said: "Over the past three decades, Europe Snacks has grown to be a leader in the private label market across its key product categories and geographies. We are excited to partner with the team, to build upon their strong heritage and to continue driving growth."​

One Rock principal Lukas Zeitlberger added that Europe Snacks aligned well with the firm’s investment strategy, which is focused on “acquiring leading companies with potential for growth and improvement”.​

“We look forward to working closely with management to enhance the Company’s operations and capitalize on new market opportunities."​

Meanwhile, Europe Snacks CEO Étienne Lecomte welcomed the news: "We are looking forward to joining forces with One Rock as we enter our next phase of growth.​

“One Rock’s Operating Partners bring decades of expertise in our core markets and we will look to leverage their knowledge and experience as we aim to bring even more innovation and value to our customers."​

Go behind the scenes at Burts Snacks​​ as Food Manufacture takes a look inside the factory for our Me and My Team video series.