Essential Food Hygiene acquired by Phenna Group
Essential Food Hygiene served a recipe for further growth
Online training provider Essential Food Hygiene (EFH) has been sold to Phenna Group in a transaction advised by KBS Corporate.
Established in 2020 by Jo Kerry and Ed Laycock, and based in Burnley, EFH delivers a comprehensive suite of accredited online CPD (Continuing Professional Development) courses that are widely recognised and trusted by Environmental Health Officers, regulators, licensing authorities and employers across the UK.
The training solutions are focused on food safety, compliance and workplace competence, with EFH having trained thousands of learners and enabled businesses to meet crucial compliance requirements efficiently.
EFH is now joining Phenna Group’s Food & Life Sciences division, under the leadership of Eville & Jones (E&J), following a transaction led by George Barnes, KBS Corporate Associate Director.
E&J provides veterinary services, compliance, and public health solutions to the food industry, and EFH will enhance the division’s digital learning, food safety and compliance training capabilities.
More broadly, Nottingham-based Phenna Group is one of the world’s leading Testing, Inspection, Certification and Compliance (TICC) companies, partnering with independent companies serving a variety of key, mission-critical sectors.
“We are pleased to announce that Essential Food Hygiene has been acquired by Phenna Group and will come under the leadership of Eville and Jones (E&J),” said EFH founders Jo Kerry and Ed Laycock.
“This marks an exciting milestone for our business and we are delighted we will now form part of a wider group with strong expertise and resources.
“As founders, we are very proud of what the company has achieved to date and we are confident that under E&J’s leadership, Essential Food Hygiene will continue to grow and thrive.
“Our office team remains in place and is looking forward to supporting clients as we move into this new chapter. They are excited about the opportunities ahead and the new developments planned for the new year.”
Phil Marshall, CEO of Phenna Group, commented: “Essential Food Hygiene is a highly complementary addition to our business. The team has built an impressive reputation for delivering accessible, affordable and professional training that meets real-world compliance needs.
“Their scalable digital model and strong industry recognition make them a great strategic fit for Phenna Group, and I look forward to supporting their next phase of growth as part of our Food & Life Sciences division.”
George Barnes expressed his thanks to KBS Corporate colleagues Fahad Latif (Transaction Support Executive), Tamsin James (Senior Document Writer) and Shazaman Ali (Senior Research Analyst) for their valuable work during the successful deal process.