The retailer has bought logistics business Gist as part of a strategy to accelerate its food supply chain transformation
Marks and Spencer Group plc yesterday (21 July) announced the acquisition of Gist, the principal contract logistics provider to M&S Food, from Storeshield Limited, a subsidiary of The BOC Group Limited.
The acquisition is expected to be EPS accretive in the next year and is designed to accelerate M&S’s multi-year plan to modernise its Food supply chain network to support growth.
Commenting on the move, the firm said that M&S Food has ”restored an industry-leading position in volume growth over the past four years, developed bigger, better stores and entered new channels through the investment in Ocado Retail and through franchise partnerships, including over 2,500 Costa stores. However, there is a substantial opportunity to create a more efficient and effective supply chain through investment in the network to reduce the cost to serve, update legacy systems and improve automation”.
Gist provides the majority of M&S Food logistics services via a network of 8 primary and 10 secondary distribution centres located across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, including a number of freehold warehouses.
M&S said the acquisition will generate immediate benefits to business through the elimination of contractual fees and costs and the implementation of aligned operational processes.
Through acquiring Gist, M&S can also take control of and invest in the network, building on the successful implementation of the “Vangarde” supply chain optimisation programme.
Under the transaction, M&S is acquiring the entire share capital of Gist for an initial consideration of £145m in cash. A further amount of £85m plus interest will be payable in cash from the proceeds of the intended onward disposal of freehold properties or, at the latest, on the third anniversary of completion. An additional profit share from the disposal proceeds of up to £25m plus interest will be payable under certain conditions. M&S has the ability to retain the freehold properties should it wish to do so in which case the full amount of £110m plus interest will be payable.
The Gist business being acquired generated a proforma EBITDA of c.£55m in the year ended December 2021, with the majority of profit reflecting management fees recharged to M&S under contractual arrangements, which will be eliminated upon consolidation to M&S. The transaction is expected to be earnings enhancing in its first full year and will be funded through existing cash reserves.
Announcing the move, Stuart Machin, chief executive, said: “M&S has been tied to a higher cost legacy contract, limiting both our incentive to invest and our growth. The last two years have shown what can be achieved by working collaboratively alongside our partners at Gist. This has given me confidence that now is the time to take action and remove an impediment to our growth. We have therefore acted decisively to acquire Gist, taking control of our Food supply chain for the first time in our history. This is the first step in a multi-year plan which will transform the entire supply chain.”
Gist is a time-sensitive, temperature-controlled contract logistics business, offering customers primary logistics (from supplier to depot) and secondary logistics services (from depot to store). It has worked with M&S as its principal customer for decades and provides the majority of M&S Food logistics services under a long-term contract via a network of 8 primary and 10 secondary distribution centres located across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, including a number of freehold warehouses. It also provides a limited number of logistics services for third parties as well as freight forwarding for BOC. Gist’s food service division will remain with BOC post completion with appropriate transitional service agreements in place to ensure business continuity.
Gist has an overall employee base of approximately 5,800, led by an experienced management team, including CEO Michael Chambers who will continue to lead the business and report to the Commercial Director of M&S Food.
