Hain Celestial eyes chilled soup expertise with Daniels Group acquisition

The Hain Celestial Group has acquired UK-based chilled foods manufacturer Daniels Group, the company has said.

Hain Celestial said that as well as expanding its presence in the UK, it also sees opportunities in the chilled soup category in the United States, a category in which Daniels is market leader in the UK, with its New Covent Garden Soup Co. brand.

President and CEO of Hain Celestial Irwin Simon said: "With Daniels' experienced management team and their in-depth knowledge of the fresh, chilled and frozen food categories in the United Kingdom, we expect to leverage Daniels' market position and distribution. We think there is a lot of opportunity to bring Daniels expertise in fresh soups and desserts to the United States for consumers looking for fresh, natural soups instead of canned soups.”