Cake Box Expands with £22M Ambala Foods Acquisition
Deal News | Mar 28, 2025 | Charles Russell Speechlys
Charles Russell Speechlys provided advisory services to Cake Box Holdings plc on its £22 million acquisition of Ambala Foods Limited. This strategic acquisition, financed by £7.2 million in equity and a £15.2 million debt line, will expand Cake Box's product offering and market presence. The deal includes £16 million for Ambala itself and an additional £6 million for its manufacturing facility in Welwyn Garden City. The acquisition merges Cake Box's fresh cakes with Ambala's Asian sweets, promoting growth and profitability. Corporate Partner Paul Arathoon led the advisory team with support in corporate acquisition, real estate, equity raise, and debt facilities.
Sectors
- Food and Beverage
- Legal Advisory
- Finance
Geography
- United Kingdom – Both Cake Box Holdings plc and Ambala Foods Limited are based in the UK, where this acquisition takes place.
Industry
- Food and Beverage – The acquisition involves Cake Box, a cake retailer, and Ambala Foods, a sweets manufacturer, both of which operate within the Food and Beverage sector.
- Legal Advisory – Charles Russell Speechlys, the law firm advising on the acquisition, operates within the Legal Advisory sector.
- Finance – The transaction involves significant financing elements including equity and debt, relevant to the Finance sector.
Financials
- £22 million – Total acquisition cost for Ambala Foods Limited and its manufacturing facility.
- £16 million – Purchase price for Ambala Foods Limited.
- £6 million – Purchase price for the manufacturing facility in Welwyn Garden City.
- £7.2 million – Equity financing associated with the acquisition.
- £15.2 million – New debt line associated with the acquisition.
Participants
| Name | Role | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cake Box Holdings plc | Bidding Company/Buyer | Company | Cake Box is the UK's largest franchise retailer of fresh cakes. |
| Ambala Foods Limited | Target Company | Company | Ambala is a manufacturer and retailer of Asian sweets. |
| Charles Russell Speechlys | Legal Advisor | Company | An international law firm advising on corporate acquisitions. |
| Barclays | Debt Facility Provider | Company | Barclays is a financial institution providing the debt line for the acquisition. |
| Michael Botha | Chief Financial Officer | Person | CFO of Cake Box Holdings plc. |
| Paul Arathoon | Corporate Partner | Person | Led the advisory team at Charles Russell Speechlys for this transaction. |