COOKIES Bakery, with shops in Raunds and Oundle, is under new ownership.
The business, which was started in 1995 by Ros and Simon Cook, has recently been acquired by Ian Smith and Mike Doyle.
COOKIES Bakery, with shops in Raunds and Oundle, is under new ownership.
The business, which was started in 1995 by Ros and Simon Cook, has recently been acquired by Ian Smith and Mike Doyle. Ian has been head baker at Cookies since 2012, so when it went on the market he was keen to take over, and he teamed up with long-time friend and former colleague, Mike, to make the acquisition.
They intend to build on the reputation for quality products and great service, established under the previous ownership, to continue supplying the business’s existing clientele and establish new markets and customers.
“We really see the value of having quality bakery products available locally, and in the case of Raunds, also providing a welcoming drop-in point for excellent food and drink in our coffee shop,” say Ian and Mike. “It’s so convenient to pop into town for a loaf of bread and cakes, rather than driving all the way to an out-of-town supermarket; and it’s great to be able to stop off for a snack and cup of freshly brewed coffee at lunchtime, or when doing the shopping.
“Of course, we will be looking to expand our existing commercial and wholesale customer base to get the well-known Cookies brand into even more restaurants, shops, offices and factories in the region. We are really looking forward to continuing to serve businesses and communities in both Oundle and Raunds for many years to come.”
The advisers who helped Mike and Ian complete the deal were business consultant Alan Price, of Harpconsult Ltd, who dealt with the preparatory figure work, business planning and initial negotiations; Peter Douglas of Business Finance Services Ltd, who arranged the finance for the deal; and Sarah Franklin of Isis Legal, who handled the legal work for the buyers.
According to Peter, this was a slightly unusual deal, but he said: “After a considerable amount of research, we were able to match up Mike and Ian with Foundation East, who provided the lion’s share of the investment.”
Details of the sale are confidential but it should be noted that the Cookies shop in Earls Barton was not included in the deal.
For further information, contact Harpconsult Ltd or Business Finance Services Ltd. Enquiries should be addressed to either Alan Price, of Harpconsult Ltd on 07768 636246, or Peter Douglas, of Business Finance Services on 07770 866955.