Paul Burkitt and Mark Jones, who initiated a shareholder buyout in 2016 to take full ownership of Glendale Foods from founders John, Gill and Pam Mortimer, will remain with the business for the “foreseeable future” during a handover.

“This is a great next chapter for Glendale Foods. We are delighted to have found investors who share the same values as ourselves and very much look forward to seeing the continued growth and success of the business,” Burkitt and Jones said in a statement posted on the website.

Shafin Somji, a director at privately-owned London-based Shallon Group, has been appointed executive chairman of Glendale Foods. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Somji said: “We saw Glendale as an excellent investment opportunity being well placed in its markets with strong products, a strong team, and an overall solid foundation on which to grow. We view Glendale as a strategic long-term purchase and, therefore, look forward to supporting the business with capital as well as our sector expertise.”

Glendale Foods, based in Salford in north-west England, is primarily a supplier of frozen snacks and processed meats to UK retailers but also serves foodservice, the airline and travel industry, and other food manufacturers.

The company also has its own brands: The Great British Pudding Company, encompassing suet-cased traditional British pies and desserts; and the Yankee Brand of frozen microwave snacks, wraps, burgers and ribs.

Meat alternatives are also part of the portfolio, including soy-based burgers, mince, meatballs and chicken.

Glendale Foods has an annual turnover of around £22m ($27.4m), according to a spokesperson at financial advisory business Oghma Partners, which acted as the advisor for the company on the deal.

Simon Whittaker, who has been appointed the new CEO of Glendale Foods, said: “Glendale is a great company with great people and a strong base on which to establish the Shallan Group’s UK food manufacturing presence.

“We see this as an ideal opportunity to invest further to leverage the core foundations already in place. With the current product development capability and available capacity, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.”

Whittaker has been the chief commercial and development officer at Shallan Group since 2022, according to his LinkedIn page.