Bakkavor Group and Greencore Group have said the expected completion date of the acquisition is on 16 January 2026.

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has accepted Greencore’s decision to sell its Bristol chilled sauce manufacturing site to Compleat Food Group.

The two companies are the UK’s largest convenience food suppliers, which supply retailers including Tesco, M&S, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and Asda.

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Previously, a Phase 1 probe was launched which found the tie-up risked reducing competition in the supply of own-label chilled sauces to major supermarkets, potentially pushing up prices or lowering quality.

However, the conditions for the acquisitions have now been satisfied, and the two businesses will be moving forward with the merger.

The final acquisition process is set to be completed subject to satisfaction of the remaining conditions.

The companies cited merger benefits including “diverse product offerings and strong commercial relationships, managed by a broader set of customer-dedicated teams and highly competitive capabilities in attractive segments across the UK”.

The cancellation of the listing of Bakkavor shares is set to take place on 19 January 2026 and the business will be transferred to Greencore.