HOLKHAM FOODS LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
04405686 · ltd · incorporated 2002-03-27
Investment thesis
Well-run mature business — low negotiation leverage; premium likely.
Why interesting: Textbook target; clean filings, stable trading.
Why risky: No pressure on seller; any deal likely at full price.
Opportunity decay
hardening · 12-months
Already tight — no obvious softening catalysts on the horizon.
- · Thesis: well-run, low negotiation leverage
🔒Estimated value
—
Upgrade to see
Turnover
—
year to Mar 2025
Net worth
£51.6k
book net assets
Opportunity
81/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Manufacture of prepared meals and dishes
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueAsset-holding vehicle with a 61-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 81/100 (exceptional), bankability 75/100. Strong seller-intent signal (70/100, director aged 61). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (73/100).
Data confidence
Overall: high (82/100)Strong data coverage across all sections. AI outputs should be trusted with minimal caveats.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
2 years of iXBRL accounts extracted (YoY deltas available) + narrative notes parsed
75
Lenders & charges
Confirmed no charges registered
85
Directors & officers
8 officers (2 active, 8 linked, 3 with DOB)
78
Ownership & PSC
2 active PSC(s) of 2 total, 2 with control declared
90
Director network
16 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
69 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
81/100Exceptional
PassWatchWorth a lookStrongExceptional
Strong composite across quality, acquirability, and risk. High-priority target — progress to serious diligence.
Business quality
70
Active, clean filings, stable charge profile.
Acquirability
85
Strong succession / seller-readiness signals.
Risk profile
85
Few red flags.
Signal strength
90
Good data coverage for analysis.
Signals from accounts
Derived from iXBRL accounts · accounting standard not declaredPositive net assets
Net assets £51,596
Key financials
2 years extracted from filed iXBRL accountsCash
—
Net Worth
£52k
~ YoY
Current Assets
£13k
~ YoY
Current Liabilities
—
Hover to see exact values · click legend to toggle series
Financials
Extracted from Companies House accounts · accounting standard unknown| Metric | 2025-03-31 | 2024-03-31 |
|---|---|---|
| Total assets | £51.6k | £51.6k |
| Current assets | £12.9k | £12.9k |
| Net assets | £51.6k | £51.6k |
Amounts extracted automatically from iXBRL. Fields left blank were not reported or not mapped. Values in GBP unless stated.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
0
filings
Last 180 days
1
filing
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (30 events)Click to expand
- 2025-12-18📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2025-08-15📄notification-of-a-person-with-significant-controlpersons-with-significant-control · PSC02
- 2024-12-20📄accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entityaccounts · AA
- 2023-06-29📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2023-01-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2022-01-05📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2021-05-06📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2021-05-06📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2021-05-01➕MITCHELL, Peter Charles appointeddirector
- 2021-05-01➖MORRELL, Neil resignedsecretary
- 2021-03-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2019-12-30📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-12-21📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2018-01-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2016-12-16📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2016-04-01📄annual-return-company-with-made-up-date-full-list-shareholdersannual-return · AR01
- 2016-01-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-total-exemption-smallaccounts · AA
- 2015-04-25➖COKE, Edward Douglas, Rt Hon resigneddirector
- 2010-02-01➕MORRELL, Neil appointedsecretary
- 2010-01-31➖WYARD, Michael resignedsecretary
- 2009-03-27➖GLEDSON, Richard Robert resignedsecretary
- 2009-03-27➕WYARD, Michael appointedsecretary
- 2002-03-27🏢Company incorporatedAs HOLKHAM FOODS LIMITED
- 2002-03-27➕COKE, Thomas Edward, The Earl Of Leicester appointeddirector
- 2002-03-27➕GLEDSON, Richard Robert appointedsecretary
- 2002-03-27➕SECRETARIAL APPOINTMENTS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-03-27➖SECRETARIAL APPOINTMENTS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary
- 2002-03-27➕COKE, Edward Douglas, Rt Hon appointeddirector
- 2002-03-27➕CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS LIMITED appointedcorporate-nominee-director
- 2002-03-27➖CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS LIMITED resignedcorporate-nominee-director
Owner dependency
76/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Two-director setup: Only two active directors — typical of owner-managed SMEs but limits succession.
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 24 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 61 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
76/100
Likely off-market candidateStrong acquirability signals converging. Worth approaching directly — this is how off-market deals start.
SIGNALS
- secondaryFounder aged 58+: Senior director is approximately 61. Early succession window.
- secondaryTwo-director governance: Small-team governance. Succession depth is thin but not absent.
- primary20+ year tenure: Director in role 24 years. Very long tenure is a classic succession signal.
- secondaryStable-but-static management: Company is 24 years old and no new directors in the last 3 years — succession not yet being planned internally.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
cleanNo red flags detected from available public data. (This is not a clean bill of health — detailed accounts review still recommended.)
Group structure
Coke Estates Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
Coke Estates Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares
⬇
HOLKHAM FOODS LIMITED
This company · 04405686
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
2 active beneficial owners · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Coke Estates Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | 75-100% shares · 75-100% voting | 06/04/2016 |
Lord Thomas Edward Leicester Individual · British · DOB 07/1965 · age 61 | — | — | sig. influencesignificant influence | 06/04/2016 |
From Companies House Persons with Significant Control filings. Share ranges are banded per the public PSC regime.
🔒Co-director network graph
Radial SVG graph showing every company connected via shared directors, colour-coded by status.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Similar companies
Active · Food & drink · NR postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EDMUNDS COCKTAILS LTD→ 11696943 · est 2018 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 7y | — | — |
| FAT CAT CAKERY LTD→ 12716714 · est 2020 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 5y | — | — |
| FRUITCAKES LIMITED→ 05281015 · est 2004 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 21y | — | — |
| GORLESTON APIARY LTD→ 15189786 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
| GRNS WORLDWIDE LTD→ 16944464 · est 2026 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| GUDNEX LTD→ 14252472 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 3y | — | — |
| GYRE & GIMBLE ACADEMY LTD→ 13911206 · est 2022 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| HEILS BAKERY LIMITED→ 04760176 · est 2003 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 22y | — | — |
| HIGH DELIGHTS LTD→ 09717504 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 10y | — | — |
| HODMEDOD LTD→ 08151811 · est 2012 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 13y | — | — |
| HOLLY BARN BAKES LIMITED→ 15780248 · est 2024 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 1y | — | — |
| HOLLY CUPCAKES LIMITED→ 09392762 · est 2015 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 11y | — | — |
Peers ranked by estimated value, then turnover, then opportunity score.See all →
🔒Tailored diligence questions
6 specific questions generated from this company's actual signals — liquidity, leverage, director age, charge count, red flags, age-of-company.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →🔒Advanced scoring suite
Exit-route ranking, improvement thesis, quiet-distress detector, covenant-pressure proxy, extraction monitor, approaching triggers, ownership drift, local cluster, value trap, debt capacity, archetype classification — 48+ scoring modules.
Available from the Pro tier upwards.
See pricing →Company details
Statusactive
Typeltd
Incorporated2002-03-27
Jurisdictionengland-wales
Primary SIC10850 — Manufacture of prepared meals and dishes
Registered office
Holkham Estate Office
Holkham
Wells Next The Sea
Norfolk
NR23 1AB
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2026-12-31
Last made up to: 2025-03-31
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-04-03
Last: 2026-03-20
Officers (2 active · 6 resigned)
COKE, Thomas Edward, The Earl Of Leicester→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2002-03-27
View their other companies + combined net worth →
MITCHELL, Peter Charles→
Activedirector · ~60y · appointed 2021-05-01
View their other companies + combined net worth →
GLEDSON, Richard Robert→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-03-27 · resigned 2009-03-27
MORRELL, Neil→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2010-02-01 · resigned 2021-05-01
WYARD, Michael→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2009-03-27 · resigned 2010-01-31
SECRETARIAL APPOINTMENTS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-secretary · appointed 2002-03-27 · resigned 2002-03-27
COKE, Edward Douglas, Rt Hon→
Resigneddirector · ~90y · appointed 2002-03-27 · resigned 2015-04-25
CORPORATE APPOINTMENTS LIMITED→
Resignedcorporate-nominee-director · appointed 2002-03-27 · resigned 2002-03-27
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Recent filings (69 total)
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-04-03
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2025-12-18
notification-of-a-person-with-significant-control
persons-with-significant-control · PSC02
2025-08-15
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-03-24
accounts-with-accounts-type-micro-entity
accounts · AA
2024-12-20
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-04-17
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-06-29
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-05-22
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2023-01-05
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2022-03-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2022-01-05
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2021-05-06
termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-date
officers · TM02
2021-05-06
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2021-03-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2021-03-16