The Stevens & Bolton corporate team has advised the shareholders of Natures Way Foods Europe Ltd (NWFE) on the sale of NWFE to Taylor Fresh Foods, Inc. (trading as Taylor Farms).

Chichester-based Natures Way Foods is one of the UK’s leading fresh food manufacturers, supplying bagged salads, coleslaw and potato salad to major retailers and foodservice providers. Family-owned Taylor Farms is a major US fresh produce company based in California. The sale completed within a rapid timeframe and involved multiple stakeholders and jurisdictions, highlighting the firm’s ability to deliver complex, multi-faceted transactions under pressure. The deal marks a significant transatlantic acquisition in the fresh food sector and will strengthen Taylor Farms’ European footprint, allowing Taylor Farms and Natures Way Foods to share their best practices to accelerate growth and introduce new products to the fresh foods market.

Robert Langmead and David Langmead, founders of Natures Way Foods, commented: “Having founded NWFL 31 years ago, it was a difficult decision to sell our business. S&B played a pivotal role in the successful transaction, working with us, as owners, and the team, every step of the way.”

Colin Smith, CEO of Natures Way Foods, said: “Keith and the team have been a joy to work with, demonstrating technical excellence, incredible tenacity and staying power – and with a little bit of humour along the way.”

Richard Bouchier, CFO of Natures Way Foods, added: “Stevens & Bolton guided us through the process with expertise and professionalism. They did a truly amazing job to get this deal done.”

Keith Syson, Corporate Partner, commented: “We are proud to have supported Natures Way Foods in achieving a successful outcome with Taylor Farms, and it has been a pleasure working alongside such a committed and collaborative team at Natures Way Foods. We wish the business the best for the future.”

The Stevens & Bolton team was led by Keith Syson with support from Rebecca Hunt, Katie Higgs and Himal Bulathsinhala (corporate); Beverley Flynn and Guy Cartwright (data protection); Elaine O’Hare (intellectual property); Andrew Dodds (banking and finance); Ian Craig, James Thomas and Tom O’Dell (real estate); John Forde (tax); Gustaf Duhs and Jeremy Kelly (competition and regulatory); and Kerry Garcia and Jackie Penlington (immigration). Piper Sandler provided corporate finance advice for the transaction.