Sowing the seeds of future success
WNJ has advised a Lancashire based wholesale florist on its successful sale to a growing business based in the Netherlands.
Peter H Smith supplies flowers and plants to florists and supermarkets in the North of England. The company, based in Ashton-on-Ribble, is one of the largest independent wholesalers of its kind in the UK.
It now has been acquired for an undisclosed amount by Hoek Group, a family business, headquartered in Rijnsburg in the Netherlands.
Peter H Smith was advised by WNJ throughout the sales process and the WNJ team, led by partner Paul Woodburn advised on all aspects of the transaction.
The new owner has more than 40 years of experience in the worldwide purchase and sales of flowers and plants. It has a strong history of expansion through acquisition on the continent.
Peter H Smith is a family business that can trace its history back almost 90 years. Led by husband-and-wife team Nick and Diane, the third-generation family company successfully overcame the recent challenges of Brexit and the pandemic.
Both Nick and Diane celebrate their 60th birthdays this year and felt this was the right time to make an exit.
Nick said: “The sale happened very quickly. We had a number of interested parties, but the Hoek Group was the best fit.
“The new owners are also a family business and we believe they will take the business onto the next level. It was also important to us that they kept on the current staff.”
Peter H Smith can trace its origins back to a market garden in Tarleton. Nick’s grandfather started the current business back on the original Preston Market and it has grown and expanded into state-of-the-art premises in Ashton-on-Ribble.
Today the wholesaler supplies flowers and plants from across the world, as well as nearer home in the UK. Every day it receives colourful blooms from places as far away at East Africa, the Middle East and South America.
A team of workers creates bouquets destined for sale in well-known supermarkets and stores and the business operates its own fleet of delivery vehicles. Peter H Smith is based on Chain Caul Way, near Preston’s docklands.
Nick said: “WNJ’s advice and support was invaluable throughout the process. We’ve a long and extremely strong relationship with Paul Woodburn and the WNJ team and it is great to have someone with you who you can totally trust as you go through the sale process.
“WNJ were on hand throughout to help, whatever time of day, with a strong network of people to draw on. If they didn’t know the answer to something they always knew someone who did.
“As well as their valuable advice every step of the way, when needed they were also a friendly ear on the end of the phone.”
• To discuss how WNJ can support your business please call 01772 430000
