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Our history

Timeline

1986 Bakkavör Group was founded by brothers Ágúst and Lýdur Gudmundsson to manufacture and export cod roe to Scandinavia.
1986-1996 By 1996 had become a medium-sized Icelandic company, employing 65 people with a turnover of £4.6m selling fully-processed consumer goods direct to European retailers.
1997-2002 Focused on expanding operations internationally.

Company became listed on the Iceland Stock Exchange.

Issued a new mission statement in 2000 to focus primarily on the manufacturing of fresh prepared foods.

Acquired Wine & Dine, a small UK dips and dressings company in 2000.

Acquired Katsouris Fresh Foods, a UK supplier of Greek dips and chilled ready meals in 2001.
2003 Sold the seafood part of the operation in line with strategy – to focus on fresh prepared foods.
2004 Established Bakkavör Asia to identify business opportunities in the fast-growing consumer markets in Asia.
2005 Acquired Geest PLC, the UK’s leading provider of fresh prepared foods and produce and Hitchen Foods, a UK prepared vegetable company.
2006 Celebrated Bakkavör’s 20th anniversary.

Acquired stake in Creative Foods a Chinese salad manufacturer.

Ágúst Gudmundsson became CEO and Lýdur Gudmundsson, non-executive Chairman of Bakkavör Group.
2007-2008 Acquired a number of businesses to support the Company’s strategic development:

  • 4G, a French salad manufacturer.
  • Exotic Farm Produce Group, a UK fresh prepared vegetables manufacturer.
  • Welcome Food Ingredients, a UK dips and sauces manufacturer.
  • Stake in Heli Food Fresh, a Czech ready meals manufacturer.
  • Remaining stake of Creative Food, China.
  • Entered US market with acquisition of Two Chefs on a Roll in California.
  • Stake in Longshun Foods, a Chinese vegetable provider.
  • Stake in Gastro Primo, a Hong Kong fresh prepared foods manufacturer.
  • Italpizza, an Italian chilled and frozen pizza manufacturer.
  • Stake in La Rose Noire, a Hong Kong premium bakery and pastries manufacturer.
  • Bakkavör Traiteur S. A. (former name Fram foods S. A.), a French dips and bread products producer
2009 Delisted from the NASDAQ OMX Iceland and converted into a Private Limited Company
2010 We are a leading provider of fresh prepared foods and produce, with a turnover of £1.6 billion  at the beginning of the year and operations in ten countries, making over 6,000 products in 18 categories worldwide.

More Information

Bakkavör Group • 5th Floor • 3 Sheldon Square Paddington • London W2 6HY

UK • Tel: +44 (0) 20 7266 6435