Mr Kipling maker Premier Foods has agreed to buy healthy ready meals brand Merchant Gourmet for £48million.
The seller of microwavable pouches of pulses and grains was founded in 1994 by brothers Mark and Oliver Leatham from a market stall in London.
Merchant managing director Richard Peake said: ‘We believe Premier is the right partner to match our ambition.
‘They understand where we’ve come from, they respect what makes our brand special.’
Premier boss Alex Whitehouse said the deal would help meet ‘the growing demand for premium, healthy and convenient meal options’.
It bought cooking kit firm The Spice Tailor in 2022 and granola maker Fuel10K this year. Shares in Premier, which also owns Bisto, Ambrosia and Oxo, rose 1.2 per cent, or 2.2p, to 189p.

On the menu: Mr Kipling maker Premier Foods has bought healthy ready meals brand Merchant Gourmet for £48m
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