Tchibo acquires Matthew Algie

German coffee and foodservice company Tchibo has acquired coffee roasting specialist Matthew Algie.

Matthew Algie will continue to operate as a standalone body with its current management team, including chief executive Gary Nicol (pictured right), sales and marketing director Brian O'Hagan, operations director Peter McGadey and technical director Ewan Reid.

Nicol said: "We have always worked hard to deliver consistently high quality products and that won't change going forward. The investment of Tchibo also speaks volumes for the results achieved by our skilled and committed workforce.

"Our focus remains on our dedication to sustainable sourcing and great tasting coffee for our customers, but now with the complementary experience, products and services and routes to market offered by new partners Tchibo."

Tchibo will use the acquisition to expand Matthew Algie's Espresso Warehouse brand across the UK and Ireland, with the prospect of reaching out to Europe in the future. The Espresso Warehouse brand sells products and equipment to cafes, restaurants and hotels.

Nick Snow (pictured left), managing director for Tchibo Coffee Service, said: "Matthew Algie stands out in the UK coffee trade for its unrivalled ‘farm-to-cup' approach to ethical sourcing, its technical excellence with dedication to staff and customer training, and the opportunity to grow the Espresso Warehouse concept internationally.

"We are very keen to maintain Matthew Algie's independence while providing it with the opportunity to drive innovation in the UK coffee service market. We will learn a lot from each other while both continuing to grow."

Matthew Algie employs 220 people and in 2014 it celebrated its 150th anniversary.

Tchibo was founded in 1972. It came to the UK in 1991 and employs more than 150 in the UK.

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