METRO Expands UK Presence with Acquisition of Caterite to Boost Food Service Distribution

METRO Expands UK Presence with Acquisition of Caterite to Boost Food Service Distribution

(IN BRIEF) METRO has expanded its food service distribution (FSD) business in the UK by acquiring Caterite Food & Wineservice, a specialist in food delivery to the HoReCa sector in the Lake District and northern regions of the UK. This acquisition will help METRO accelerate its nationwide FSD expansion, complementing the offerings of Classic Fine Foods UK. Caterite, with around 200 employees, serves over 2,000 customers and focuses on fresh produce and value-added services. The acquisition aligns with METRO’s strategic goal to increase its FSD share of total sales to 33% by 2030.

(PRESS RELEASE) DÜSSELDORF, 30-Aug-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — METRO, a leading global food service distributor, has expanded its footprint in the United Kingdom by acquiring Caterite Food & Wineservice, a specialist in food service delivery. This strategic acquisition, finalized on August 28, 2024, enables METRO to enhance its food service distribution (FSD) capabilities, particularly in the Lake District and surrounding northern regions of the UK.

Caterite, known for its strong regional presence and focus on high-quality fresh produce, generated £44 million in revenue in 2023 and serves over 2,000 independent HoReCa (Hotel, Restaurant, Café) customers. The acquisition aligns with METRO’s broader goal of increasing its FSD share of total sales to 33% by 2030.

Guillaume Deruyter, Member of METRO’s Management Board, emphasized the significance of this acquisition in strengthening METRO’s position in the UK market. “Welcoming Caterite into our FSD family not only reinforces our commitment to growth in the UK HoReCa sector but also creates valuable synergies with our existing Classic Fine Foods UK operations,” Deruyter stated.

Caterite will continue to operate under its established brand while collaborating closely with Classic Fine Foods UK, particularly in areas such as product assortment, sourcing, and logistics. This acquisition marks another milestone in METRO’s ongoing strategy of expanding its FSD portfolio, following previous successful integrations of other FSD specialists across Europe and Asia.

This move further solidifies METRO’s position as a key player in the global food service distribution market, with a focus on sustainable growth and enhancing service delivery to its diverse customer base.

METRO is a leading international food wholesaler which specialises in serving the needs of hotels, restaurants, and caterers (HoReCa) as well as independent merchants (Traders). Around the world, METRO has approx. 15 million customers who benefit from the wholesale company’s unique multichannel mix: customers can purchase their goods in one of the large stores in their area as well as by delivery (Food Service Distribution, FSD) – all digitally supported and connected. In parallel, METRO MARKETS is being developed as an international online marketplace for the needs of professional customers which has been growing and expanding continuously since 2019. Acting sustainably is one of the company principles of METRO which has been listed in various sustainability indices and rankings, including MSCI, Sustainalytics and CDP. METRO operates in more than 30 countries and employs over 89.000 people worldwide. In financial year 2022/23, METRO generated sales of €30.6 billion.

More information can be found at MPULSE.de, our online magazine.

SOURCE: METRO AG