Private equity firm acquires East End Foods

EAST END FOODS, the supplier of Asian Foods based in West Bromwich, has been purchased by Exponent Private Equity.

Earlier this year, Exponent acquired specialist Asian food wholesaler TRS Foods.

A spokesman for Exponent said: “Unfortunately we are not in a position to provide any comment or guidance on the rumoured acquisition of EEF.”

Roger Wouhra, a son of one of four brothers who formed East End Foods in the mid-1970s, said he had “no comment from East End at this stage.”

East End Foods’ turnover for the year to the end of April 2018 was £191.3 million, up from £185.4m the previous year, according to the most recent accounts filed at Companies House.

The company’s founder Tony Deep Wouhra, who appeared in Asian Media Group’s Asian Rich List 2019, moved to the UK from Delhi with just £3 to his name before setting up East End Foods with his brothers.

With demand for ethnic food growing, and yet supply being limited, the brothers sold rice and spices to Britain’s ethnic communities who had arrived in the country in the 1950s and 1960s. They initially opened a small shop and delivered door to door.

Following their father’s philosophy “never sell anything you wouldn’t eat yourself”, the business began wholesaling from two units in Wolverhampton.

After moving to Digbeth, Birmingham, the business started serving Indian restaurants, stores and independent retailers.

East End Foods has grown to become one of the leading suppliers of Asian food to the UK and Europe.

Around 325 people are employed at its factory and office in West Bromwich, including 23 members of the Wourha family. East End Foods also has cash & carry depots in Aston, Smethwick, India, and Italy.