Hilton Foods to sell majority stake in Foods Connected for US$28.3M
Hilton Foods to retain 26% interest in Foods Connected following deal completion
UK – Hilton Food Group has announced the sale of a majority stake in its supplier management platform, Foods Connected, for cash consideration of US$28.3 million (£22 million), as part of a strategy to focus more directly on its core food operations.
The company will retain a 26% ownership in Foods Connected once the transaction is finalised.
Foods Connected provides data-driven tools to improve supply chain performance, helping meat and food companies manage quality, sustainability, risk, and costs across their operations.
The buyer, Apax Global Impact Fund, advised by Apax Partners LLP, has been seeking investments in the food safety technology space and has identified Foods Connected as a platform with strong market potential.
According to Hilton Foods, the transaction is aimed at bringing in both capital and specialised expertise to support the platform’s next phase of expansion.
Hilton’s board said the partnership with Apax is expected to accelerate growth in Foods Connected while supporting its broader supply chain management approach across international food markets.
Hilton Foods CEO Steve Murrells said the Apax team brings experience and infrastructure that will help scale the platform faster than the company could alone.
He noted that the deal enables Hilton to focus more sharply on its meat and food manufacturing business while still benefiting from the future success of the digital platform.
Murrells also said the platform remains central to Hilton Foods’ strategy, particularly in delivering services to international customers.
Apax Global Impact partner Edward Donkor said many companies in the food industry still rely on outdated systems such as paper-based processes and spreadsheets, which leaves room for technology-driven tools like Foods Connected to modernise operations.
He added that the investment will help strengthen sales, expand into new markets, explore acquisitions, and improve offerings for existing customers.
Foods Connected was co-founded by Roger McCracken, who continues to serve as CEO and will work alongside both Apax and Hilton to lead the next stage of the company’s development.
No timeline has been provided for the completion of the transaction.
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