Food ingredients firm Braes Group has aggressive plans to grow into a r450 million a year business by 2006.
The r85 million turnover, investment-backed company has bought three food businesses since its formation in 1999: Britannia Natural Products of the UK, Obipektin of the Netherlands and, just last month, Overseal Natural Ingredients, also of the UK.
But company bosses are currently in talks with five US food companies in a bid to meet the ambitious growth targets needed to keep investors happy.
“Our aim is to become the premier provider of natural functional food ingredients delivered as user-friendly flavour systems,” said Braes chief executive Nigel Garrow. “When we consider acquisitions, our key criteria are market leading, successful, innovative, natural ingredient companies with a high level of quality consciousness.”