CALIFORNIA CAKE COMPANY LIMITED
🌳Matureactive
SC204757 · ltd · incorporated 2000-03-09
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
—
not disclosed
Net worth
—
book net assets
Opportunity
80/100
Exceptional
What this business does
Primary activity: Manufacture of bread; manufacture of fresh pastry goods and cakes
Sector: Manufacturing
Investor take
PursueActive trading company with a 64-year-old founder — textbook succession opportunity.
Opportunity 80/100 (exceptional), bankability 77/100. Strong seller-intent signal (60/100, director aged 64). Share purchase looks the cleaner deal structure. Biggest value-creation lever: Consolidate lender relationships. 7 distinct lenders creates friction — refinance into single-lender structure for cleaner diligence. Most likely exit: share sale to pe / searcher (65/100).
🏦
Refinance opportunity
7 live charges · 7 lenders · oldest 25.0y
35/100
too messy
Refinance path is blocked by complexity. Rethink structure or expect bespoke, expensive terms.
- · Oldest live charge is 25.0 years old — likely at or near maturity.
- · 7 lenders named — inter-creditor friction likely.
- · Legal-friction score 30/100 — workable, but lender will want more DD.
Data confidence
Overall: medium (61/100)Adequate coverage. AI outputs are reliable for the sections scored high; verify the rest in diligence.
Company profile
address, 1 SIC codes, incorporation date
100
Financials
No iXBRL financials extracted
0
Lenders & charges
7 charges (7/7 with lender, 7/7 with type)
90
Directors & officers
27 officers (4 active, 27 linked, 16 with DOB)
82
Ownership & PSC
1 active PSC(s) of 1 total, 1 with control declared
90
Director network
17 connected companies via shared directors
90
Filing history
145 filings on record
85
Gazette notices
No matching gazette notices (standard for active companies)
60
Opportunity Score
80/100Exceptional
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
77
Few red flags.
Signal strength
100
Good data coverage for analysis.
Recent activity
Last 30 days
0
filings
Last 90 days
5
filings
- • 4 mortgage
- • 1 accounts
Last 180 days
6
filings
- • 4 mortgage
- • 1 accounts
- • 1 confirmation-statement
Counts from Companies House filing history.
Corporate timeline (82 events)Click to expand
- 2026-03-27📄accounts-with-accounts-type-dormantaccounts · AA
- 2026-02-12📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-02-12📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-02-12📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-02-12📄mortgage-satisfy-charge-fullmortgage · MR04
- 2026-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #7
- 2026-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #6
- 2026-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #5
- 2026-02-12🔓Charge satisfied #4
- 2025-03-17📄accounts-with-accounts-type-smallaccounts · AA
- 2025-02-11📄second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-dateconfirmation-statement · RP04CS01
- 2024-03-11📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2023-12-07📄appoint-person-director-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP01
- 2023-12-06➕HILL, Steven Paul appointeddirector
- 2023-04-04📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2022-03-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2021-06-10📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2020-01-20📄change-person-director-company-with-change-dateofficers · CH01
- 2020-01-03📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2019-04-10📄appoint-corporate-secretary-company-with-name-dateofficers · AP04
- 2019-04-02➕ONE ADVISORY LIMITED appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2019-03-28📄termination-secretary-company-with-name-termination-dateofficers · TM02
- 2019-03-04➖HEENEY, Caroline resignedsecretary
- 2019-01-08📄accounts-with-accounts-type-fullaccounts · AA
- 2017-09-13➕HEENEY, Caroline appointedsecretary
- 2017-06-15➖COX, Melanie Rachel resignedsecretary
- 2015-12-31➕COX, Melanie Rachel appointedsecretary
- 2015-12-31➖CITY GROUP PLC resignedcorporate-secretary
- 2014-10-30🔒Charge registered #7Lender: Hsbc Corporate Trustee Company (UK) Limited
- 2013-04-06➖CUNNINGHAM, Archibald Macdonald resigneddirector
- 2010-04-01➖MORGAN, Lisa Margaret Wendy resigneddirector
- 2010-01-20➕BOYD, Stephen Alexander appointeddirector
- 2009-10-19➕DUFFY, John Gerald appointeddirector
- 2008-09-29➖BROOKS, David Gary resigneddirector
- 2006-10-01➕MORGAN, Lisa Margaret Wendy appointeddirector
- 2006-09-30➖LOMER, John Antony resigneddirector
- 2006-03-09➕CUNNINGHAM, Archibald Macdonald appointeddirector
- 2006-02-01🔓Charge satisfied #1
- 2005-12-22🔓Charge satisfied #3
- 2005-12-22🔓Charge satisfied #2
- 2005-11-20➕CITY GROUP PLC appointedcorporate-secretary
- 2005-11-18➖MCKEE, Martin Jack resignedsecretary
- 2005-11-18➖BEATTIE, David resigneddirector
- 2005-11-18➕BROOKS, David Gary appointeddirector
- 2005-11-18➕LOMER, John Antony appointeddirector
- 2005-11-18➖MCCORMICK, John Robert resigneddirector
- 2005-11-18➖MCKEE, Martin Jack resigneddirector
- 2005-11-18➖ORR, David Slater resigneddirector
- 2005-11-18➖STEVEN, Ian William resigneddirector
- 2005-11-18🔒Charge registered #6Lender: Hsbc Bank PLC
Showing most recent 50 of 82 events
Owner dependency
68/100
High — earn-out structure requiredMaterial founder dependency. Consider a 2-3 year earn-out and build in a handover plan before completion.
FACTORS
- +Long-tenure founder: Senior director has been in place 17 years — deep operational knowledge concentrated in one person.
- +Senior director age: Director aged approximately 64 — approaching natural succession window.
Succession & seller-readiness
63/100
Strong succession signalMultiple signals suggest succession is on the horizon. Candidate for proactive outreach.
SIGNALS
- primaryFounder aged 63+: Senior director is approximately 64. Approaching typical UK retirement age — succession thinking likely.
- secondary12+ year tenure: Director in role 17 years.
- supportingClean filings + long tenure: Disciplined long-tenure operator — classic lifestyle-business pattern that often sells quietly.
Red flags
1 med ·Charge satisfaction-then-recreation pattern
mediumMultiple instances where a charge was satisfied and a new charge created within 6 months. Suggests active refinancing cycle.
Group structure
California Cake Company (Holdings) Limited is the ultimate parent — holding 75%+ shares. This company sits inside their group.
🏛️ultimate parent
California Cake Company (Holdings) Limited
Corporate parent · holds 75-100% shares · board control
⬇
CALIFORNIA CAKE COMPANY LIMITED
This company · SC204757
Parent relationships inferred from Persons with Significant Control filings. Full subsidiary tree requires reverse-lookup (coming).
Shareholders & ownership
1 active beneficial owner · dominant holder ≥75%| Name | Shares | Voting rights | Nature of control | Notified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
California Cake Company (Holdings) Limited Corporate entity | 75–100% | 75–100% | board control75-100% shares · 75-100% voting · board control | 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 · ML postcode area| Company | Est. value | Turnover | Net worth | Staff | Age | Opp | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAVIDSON BROTHERS (SHOTTS) LIMITED→ SC025270 · est 1947 | £13.67M £10.07M–£17.27M | — | — | 69 | 79y | 84 | 79y |
| BLAIRMHOR DISTILLERS LIMITED→ SC140080 · est 1992 | — | — | £0 | — | 33y | 83 | 77y |
| BLAIRMHOR LIMITED→ SC099017 · est 1986 | — | — | £9.05M | — | 39y | 83 | 77y |
| LAZY DAY FOODS LIMITED→ SC298222 · est 2006 | — | — | £2.52M | — | 20y | 83 | 71y |
| CENTRAL BAKERY SUPPLIES LTD.→ SC370821 · est 2010 | — | — | — | 900 | 16y | 82 | 65y |
| GARDINERS OF SCOTLAND LIMITED→ SC207381 · est 2000 | — | — | £2.80M | — | 25y | 82 | 85y |
| BRAND NEW CAKE LIMITED→ SC379264 · est 2010 | — | — | — | — | 15y | 80 | 61y |
| CAMPBELLS FUDGE LIMITED→ SC394263 · est 2011 | — | — | — | 200 | 15y | 80 | 62y |
| DENHOLM BAKERS LTD→ SC358592 · est 2009 | — | — | £149.5k | — | 17y | 80 | 74y |
| NWL CO. DEVELOPMENTS LTD→ SC701027 · est 2021 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 4y | — | — |
| OVENBIRD COFFEE ROASTERS LTD→ SC475050 · est 2014 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 12y | — | — |
| OYINS AFRICA LTD→ SC787028 · est 2023 · no financials extracted | — | — | — | — | 2y | — | — |
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
Incorporated2000-03-09
Jurisdictionscotland
Primary SIC10710 — Manufacture of bread; manufacture of fresh pastry goods and cakes
Registered office
73 Bothwell Road
Hamilton
ML3 0DW
Filing status
Accounts
Next due: 2027-03-31
Last made up to: 2025-06-28
Confirmation statement
Next due: 2027-01-28
Last: 2026-01-14
Officers (4 active · 23 resigned)
ONE ADVISORY LIMITED→
Activecorporate-secretary · appointed 2019-04-02
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BOYD, Stephen Alexander→
Activedirector · ~64y · appointed 2010-01-20
View their other companies + combined net worth →
DUFFY, John Gerald→
Activedirector · ~61y · appointed 2009-10-19
View their other companies + combined net worth →
HILL, Steven Paul→
Activedirector · ~43y · appointed 2023-12-06
View their other companies + combined net worth →
BEATTIE, May→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-08-01 · resigned 2001-05-14
BEATTIE, Richard William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-10-12 · resigned 2001-02-01
COX, Melanie Rachel→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2015-12-31 · resigned 2017-06-15
COYNE, Denis, Cllr→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-04-15 · resigned 2002-11-30
HEENEY, Caroline→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2017-09-13 · resigned 2019-03-04
MACDONALD, Morinne→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-03-09 · resigned 2001-05-14
MCKEE, Martin Jack→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2005-04-29 · resigned 2005-11-18
MCLACHLAN, John Fraser→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2002-11-30 · resigned 2005-04-29
STEVEN, Ian William→
Resignedsecretary · appointed 2000-09-18 · resigned 2002-04-15
CITY GROUP PLC→
Resignedcorporate-secretary · appointed 2005-11-20 · resigned 2015-12-31
BEATTIE, David→
Resigneddirector · ~71y · appointed 2000-08-01 · resigned 2005-11-18
BROOKS, David Gary→
Resigneddirector · ~59y · appointed 2005-11-18 · resigned 2008-09-29
CUNNINGHAM, Archibald Macdonald→
Resigneddirector · ~73y · appointed 2006-03-09 · resigned 2013-04-06
HENDERSON, Christine Selbie→
Resigneddirector · ~74y · appointed 2000-03-09 · resigned 2000-08-01
INGLIS, Alan James→
Resigneddirector · ~55y · appointed 2001-05-14 · resigned 2002-09-02
LOMER, John Antony→
Resigneddirector · ~68y · appointed 2005-11-18 · resigned 2006-09-30
Click a director name to see their full track record across all companies.
Mortgages & charges
7
Total charges
0
Outstanding
0
Active lenders
Status:Lender:7 of 7 shown
| Type | Properties | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Corporate Trustee Company (UK) Limited | A registered charge | 2 properties | 30/10/2014 | 12/02/2026 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Bank PLC | Floating charge | 1 property | 18/11/2005 | 12/02/2026 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Equipment Finance (UK) Limited | Floating charge | 1 property | 18/11/2005 | 12/02/2026 | |
| satisfied | HSBC Hsbc Asset Finance (UK) Limited | Floating charge | 1 property | 18/11/2005 | 12/02/2026 | |
| satisfied | Glasgow City Council | Floating charge | 1 property | 09/07/2001 | 22/12/2005 | |
| satisfied | Scottish Enterprise | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 14/05/2001 | 22/12/2005 | |
| satisfied | Lloyds Banking Group The Governor and Company of the Bank of Scotland | Bond & floating charge | 1 property | 14/05/2001 | 01/02/2006 |
Recent filings (145 total)
accounts-with-accounts-type-dormant
accounts · AA
2026-03-27
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-02-12
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-02-12
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-02-12
mortgage-satisfy-charge-full
mortgage · MR04
2026-02-12
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2026-01-20
accounts-with-accounts-type-small
accounts · AA
2025-03-17
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2025-02-19
second-filing-of-confirmation-statement-with-made-up-date
confirmation-statement · RP04CS01
2025-02-11
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2024-03-11
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2024-02-21
appoint-person-director-company-with-name-date
officers · AP01
2023-12-07
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2023-04-04
confirmation-statement-with-no-updates
confirmation-statement · CS01
2023-02-21
accounts-with-accounts-type-full
accounts · AA
2022-03-10