United Biscuits Company Overview

United Biscuits is a leading manufacturer of baked goods in Europe. The company was formed in 1972 through the merger of two separate companies, Drake's and Crawford's.

The company's headquarters is located in London, England. United Biscuits has a strong presence in the UK and other European countries.

United Biscuits has a long history of producing high-quality biscuits, with brands such as McVitie's and Jacob's being household names.

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United Biscuits was formed in 1948 by a merger of two Scottish family businesses: McVitie & Price and MacFarlane Lang.

The company was listed on the London Stock Exchange as United Biscuits plc on 27 July 1948.

United Biscuits acquired William Crawford & Sons, a Scottish baker founded in Leith in 1813, for £6 million in 1962.

In the same year, the company also acquired William MacDonald & Sons for £2.8 million, bringing the Penguin brand to the group.

United Biscuits acquired Carr's of Carlisle, makers of Table Water biscuits, from James Goldsmith's Cavenham Foods for £2.75 million in 1972.

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Two years later, in 1974, it acquired the US-based Keebler Company for $53 million.

United Biscuits owned the Wimpy Bar fast food restaurant chain between 1977 and 1989, before selling it off to Burger King.

The company acquired the frozen food company Ross Young's from Hanson in 1988 for £335 million.

United Biscuits sold Keebler for $500 million in 1995 after giving up efforts to break into the American market.

In 1998, PepsiCo purchased Smith's Snackfood Company from United Biscuits.

United Biscuits was de-listed from the London Stock Exchange and acquired in May 2000 by Finalrealm, a consortium of financial investors, as well as Nabisco Holdings Corporation.

As part of the transaction, UB acquired Nabisco's European businesses and divested several parts of its international business.

The company sold Young's Bluecrest in 2001, in order to concentrate on the sweet biscuit sector.

United Biscuits bought the UK portion of Groupe Danone's Jacob's Biscuit Group for £240 million, including Cream Crackers and Twiglets, in September 2004.

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The company sold its Southern European biscuits business to Kraft Foods in July 2006.

In October 2006, MidOcean Partners sold the company to a consortium made up of the Blackstone Group and PAI Partners.

The deal was completed in December 2006.

In December 2012, UB agreed the sale of its KP Snacks business to Intersnack for £500 million.

On 3 November 2014, private equity funds managed by Blackstone and PAI Partners announced the sale of United Biscuits to Yıldız Holding.

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United Biscuits has a complex company structure, with a history of mergers and acquisitions. The company was formed in 1972 through the merger of two British biscuit manufacturers, McVitie's and United Biscuits (Holdings).

The company operates in two main divisions: Baking and International. The Baking division includes brands such as McVitie's and Jacob's, while the International division operates in several countries outside the UK.

United Biscuits is owned by a private equity firm, Blackstone, which acquired the company in 2014.

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The United Biscuits Network was a closed-circuit radio network serving their factories across the UK, active from 1970 to 1979. This network played a significant role in launching the careers of notable UK radio presenter Steve Allen and TV and radio personality Dale Winton.

The company's core business is in the United Kingdom, where it produces biscuits under various brand names. United Biscuits has a strong presence in the UK, with a factory in Carlisle that produces well-known brands like Carr's, McVitie's, Jacob's, and Crawford's.

The United Biscuits factory in Carlisle was severely damaged by Storm Desmond in December, but the company has made significant progress in restoring operations. The factory is now close to being fully operational, with all staff members having returned to work and normal production expected to commence soon.

United Biscuits has a global presence, with manufacturing sites in several European countries, including the Netherlands, France, and Belgium. They also have a factory in India, demonstrating their commitment to international expansion.

Here are some of the key brands owned by United Biscuits:

The company's headquarters is located in Chiswick Business Park in west London, and their main UK distribution centre is in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

United Biscuits has undergone significant changes and sales over the years, shaping the company's structure and focus.

In 1995, they sold Keebler, a brand they had struggled to succeed with in the American market.

PepsiCo bought Smith's Snackfood Company from United Biscuits in 1998.

In 2000, a group of investors bought United Biscuits, taking over some of Nabisco's European businesses and selling off parts of their international business, including the TUC brand.

This deal helped the company focus more on sweet biscuits.

United Biscuits sold Young's Bluecrest in 2001, further refining their business focus.

They acquired the UK part of Groupe Danone's Jacob's Biscuit Group in 2004, adding popular products like Cream Crackers and Twiglets to their portfolio.

In 2006, Kraft Foods bought United Biscuits' biscuit business in Southern Europe.

Later that year, a new group of investment companies bought United Biscuits.

In 2012, they sold their KP Snacks business.

Finally, in 2014, Blackstone and PAI Partners sold United Biscuits to Yıldız Holding.

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United Biscuits offers a variety of snack options for customers on-the-go. They've introduced on-the-go and gluten-free ranges.

Their McVitie's To Go snack packs make it easy for customers to enjoy their favorite sweet biscuits on the move. This is the first time some of their sweet biscuit range has been available for customers who are always on the go.

Their brands, including Jacob's and McVitie's, have a wide range of biscuits to choose from. Here are some of the biscuit types offered by United Biscuits:

United Biscuits was founded in 1948 by a merger of two Scottish biscuit manufacturers, McVitie & Price and Macfarlane Lang.

The company's first major milestone was the introduction of the Jaffa Cake in 1981, a popular snack that quickly gained a loyal following.

United Biscuits acquired the Jacob's biscuit brand in 1972, expanding its product range and customer base.

The company's focus on innovation led to the development of new products, such as the McVitie's Digestives in 1892, which remains a popular choice to this day.

United Biscuits continued to grow and expand its operations, with the acquisition of the Burtons biscuit brand in 1995.

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