David Weller, managing director at AiP, said: “KCP share our vision for growth whilst maintaining the foundations of quality and excellent customer service on which the Company’s success has been built.
“As a team we have always had progressive development objectives and high customer merits.
“Through this development we are able to accelerate our growth plans and concentrate our efforts on core values of quality varied meals, local ingredients and working towards achieving excellence in food accreditations.”
The deal, led by Birmingham-based managing partner Owen Trotter and investment director Richard Thomas, will enable the company to accelerate its growth plans within the education catering sector.
KCP has acquired a majority stake in AiP, with senior debt facilities being provided by Ian Mansell and Ian Howey from the Yorkshire Bank acquisition finance team in Birmingham.
The deal, negotiated by David Neate of Springboard Corporate Finance, has backed managing director David Weller and his team, and will support the company’s exciting plans to expand its already impressive contract portfolio.
Established in 1998, Oldbury-based AiP is one of the leading specialist educational catering providers, operating over 170 school catering contracts and feeding over 35,000 pupils a day across central England and West London.
The company, which has sales of over £14m and employs over 800 people, supplies freshly, cooked schools meals to primary, secondary, academy and specialist schools, within the state and independent school sector.