UK’s Metcalfe’s Food Company announces demerger

UK-based snacks manufacturer Metcalfe’s Food Company will de-merge and restructure its business to better support its two brands.

The company will de-merge on 1 June 2015 to form itsu (grocery) and Metcalfe’s skinny.

While itsu (grocery) will produce itsu products such as miso soups, chocolate edamame, rice cakes, seaweed thins, crystal noodle (cups), Metcalfe’s skinny will develop various popcorn products.

The company had been originally created by founder entrepreneur Julian Metcalfe in 2009 to sell popcorn and healthier snacks to his itsu and Pret A Manger shops.

The de-merger will help both the brands support their growth by the creation of structure and resource.

With the restructuring, the workforce of both the businesses is slated to increase by over a third.

Speaking about the move, Metcalfe’s skinny and itsu (grocery) CEO Robert Jakobi said: "It was important for us to build a long-lasting structure so we can satisfy the increasing demand for our current lines and our exciting NPD plans. We have created two distinct teams to run each brand."

Metcalfe’s skinny and itsu (grocery) founder and creative director Julian Metcalfe said: "It is true testament to our incredibly passionate team that this demerger has happened as fast as it has. We have grown at such a incredible rate. It’s an incredibly exciting time for us."

The company claims to be one of the fastest growing privately owned food and drink company in the UK, as it recorded a compound annual growth rate of 201% over the last three years.

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Image: Robert Jakobi and Julian Metcafe of Metcalfe’s Food Company. Photo: courtesy of Metcalfe’s Food Company.