NI Entrepreneurs Acquire English Pasta Firm

Two local entrepreneurs have acquired a Devon-based pasta company.

Paul Allen and Michael Blaney, both experienced business professionals in Northern Ireland acquired Pasta King, the leading provider of nutritious pasta meals to schools in the UK.

Established in 1994, the firm supplies over 13 million nutritious 'grab and go' meals into the primary and secondary education sector in the UK, with a growing presence in the health, leisure and care sector.

With 55 employees and a sales turnover of around £8 million, the company was recognised as LACA's (The School Food People) Outstanding Supplier of the Year 2018 within the education sector.

Paul Allen, a previous Chief of the Tayto Group who acquired Genesis Bakery in Magherafelt last year, said the firm has a number of expansion opportunities in the pipeline, such as single serve café meal boxes for the retail and healthcare sectors.

He explained: "There are significant synergies between Pasta King and the many other businesses that Michael and I have worked with in our careers to date. We believe that our combined insight into the market, coupled with our extensive network, will further Pasta King's growth. We hope to build on this acquisition and look forward to working closely with the dynamic team at Pasta King."

Michael Blaney, former owner and Group Chief Executive of Autoline Insurance Group in Northern Ireland is the new joint owner of Pasta King. He commented: "Paul and I are pooling our significant expertise and experience to build upon Pasta King's strong track record of success and assist with its expansion into new markets. The company has been consistently innovating and developing new products to accommodate a wide spectrum of dietary requirements with vegan, vegetarian, coeliac and halal options amongst its offering.

"Pasta King also recently launched an exciting new range of curries and Mexican concepts such as burritos and nachos, which will undoubtedly enhance its appeal to customers. In addition, we are currently exploring the production of own-label sauce solutions and ready meals for a number of customers."

Mr Blaney continued: "Pasta King is committed to providing nutritious food and in terms of food audit and accreditation standards it has a BRC rating as well as the Food for Life Catering Mark.

"Sustainability in non-food areas is also important to both consumers and operators. Pasta King has met these needs with the introduction of a new 100% plastic-free, fully compostable pot. The manufacturing kitchens in Newton Abbot in Devon operate under a zero-to-landfill policy with all of the electricity coming from sustainable sources."