Oliver Kay founded the business as Rediveg in 1989 since re-naming it after himself. Three years ago Cheshire entrepreneur Tony McDonald took a 50 per cent stake in the business and earlier this month Kay bought him out with the backing of Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital. Former FPC president and co-founder of Redbridge Mark Swanwick has now joined the OKL board has chairman.

Kay business now employs more than 100 people and delivers to some 500 customers six days a week. It has also expanded into providing delicatessen and dairy goods and has clearly grown considerably since its days as a veg-prep unit with an annual turnover of £200,000 and a team of eight. Last year OKL turned over £16m.

Kay continues as managing director with a majority shareholding. “We were impressed by how Kay and the rest of the team at IKL had grown the business into one of the leading independent suppliers to the UK on-trade and we look forward to working alongside him and his team as the business enters an exciting new stage in its development,” said Aberdeen’s growth capital investment director Andrew Craig.

Kay now plans to continue to grow and expand his business alongside Swanwick.