Thames Valley: Pitmans acts for Maple Leaf Bakery UK

Pitmans, a leading corporate law firm in the Thames Valley, has acted on behalf of Maple Leaf Bakery UK on the disposal of its Italian speciality breads division to David Wood Baking, which completed on May 9, 2013 for an undisclosed consideration. 

At Pitmans the transaction was led by head of corporate, Andrew Peddie, and assisted by Mark Metcalfe and various other specialists throughout the firm. James Murray and Jeremy Gil of KPMG provided corporate finance advice and assistance to Maple Leaf.

Commenting on the transaction, Cliff Irwin, Maple Leaf managing director, said: “We were delighted to complete the sale of our Italian speciality breads business in the UK to such a committed participant in the bakery market. The transaction allows us to focus on our retained and highly-successful bagels and croissants operations, knowing that the Italian speciality breads business is in good hands. The deal was completed to a tight timetable and was another example of the excellent legal support that the team at Pitmans provide to us.”

Peddie added: “We have worked alongside Cliff and his team on a number of transactions and have a good feel for the business and the bakery sector along with the key issues and sensitivities for the client. In particular, Maple Leaf’s focus on the interests of its employees and ensuring a smooth transition for customers has been central to the work. It was very satisfying to get this transaction across the line as it will ensure business continuity for customers of the Italian speciality breads business, and in David Wood the client has found a purchaser who has seen the value in a skilled workforce and excellent customer base.”