United Biscuits is a UK food manufacturer which makes well-known brands such as McVities biscuits, Jacob’s Cream Crackers and Twiglets. The company is headquartered in Hayes, London but

manufacturing takes place across Europe in the Netherlands, France and Belgium. It also has a manufacturing site in India.

 

It is interesting to know that the United Biscuit IPO saw the company listed on the London Stock Exchange and it formed part of the UK’s flagship UK 100 Index of blue-chip equities. The company was later de-listed after it was sold to Yidiz Holding. There have been much speculation over the years about another United Biscuit IPO.

 

United Biscuits was formed in 1948 after two Scottish family businesses – McVitie & Price and MacFarlane Lang – joined forces. In 1962 United Biscuits bought William Crawford & Sons for £6 million. In 1965 William MacDonald & Sons was purchased for £2.8 million bringing with it the popular Penguin brand. United Biscuits continued its growth through the 1970s and 1980s.

 

In 1972 Carr’s of Carlisle, famous for its table water biscuits, was bought from James Goldsmith’s Cavenham Foods for £2.75 million. In 1974 United Biscuits set its sights on the US market where it  purchased Keebler Company for $53 million. Keebler also owned the Wimpy Bar, fast food, restaurant chain between 1977 and 1989. In 1988 United Biscuits bought frozen food company Ross Young’s from Hanson for £335 million.

 

After over 20 years United Biscuits ended efforts to break the US market by selling Keebler in 1995 for $500 million. Finalrealm, a consortium of investors and Nabisco Holdings Corporation acquired United Biscuits in May 2000. As part of the agreement United Biscuits acquired Nabisco’s European businesses. In 2001 it was decided that United Biscuits would focus on the sweet biscuit sector. As a result United Biscuits sold Young’s Bluecrest.

 

In 2004 United Biscuits purchased Jacob’s Biscuit Group from Danone for £240 million. The group owned Cream Crackers and Twiglets. In July 2006 the company’s Southern European biscuits business was sold to Kraft Foods. Later in 2006, United Biscuits was acquired by a private equity consortium made up of Blackstone and PAI Partners. In December 2012 United Biscuits sold its KP Snacks business to Intersnack for £500 million. On 3 November 2014 it was announced that United Biscuits would be sold to Yildiz Holding.

 

There has been much speculation about United Biscuits changing its name to McVities to reflect its Scottish roots. It is interesting to note that since the launch of the Pladis snack brand, a United Biscuits IPO would be popular among investors.