Andy Peters, a partner in Deloitte Birmingham’s reorganisation services practice, also said that Bomfords’ B Prepared has entered into administration. The company, which supplies prepared fresh produce and herbs to the supermarket sector, is based in Pershore and has 120 employees and a projected turnover of £10 million.

“We had hoped to keep B Prepared out of administration, but it just proved too difficult,” Peters told FPJ. “It was under a lot of pressure as a result of problems elsewhere in the group.”

He confirmed that some 75 parties had expressed an interest in purchasing part or all of the Bomfords group. “I always thought there would be a good level of interest, but this is at the top end of my expectation,” he said. “We are more interested in quality, not quantity, but what I am pleased about is that when we were appointed, I had half-a-dozen names in mind and all of those are at the forefront of our negotiations.”

Deloitte Birmingham originally hoped for a deal within three weeks of being called in, but Peters said negotiations are ahead of expectation. “There are a number of people spending some serious money on solicitors and accountants and looking into this purchase in a lot of detail,” he added.

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