Hay Hampers in Bourne sold to international firm Moguntia Food Group after recording best year for sales over coronavirus lockdown

A Bourne business that creates luxury hampers has enjoyed its most successful year yet selling more than 100,000 hampers to customers worldwide.

It seems the coronavirus lockdown sparked huge interest in the gourmet delights and fine wines found within Hay Hampers.

The success certainly caught the attention of international company Moguntia Food Group, which has now bought the business for an undisclosed sum.

Company directors Gabriele Da Re and Elisabeth Och said their accomplishments were down to fantastic staff and keeping the community at the heart of their work.

Gabriele said: “For a family-run business such as Hay Hampers, it’s all about people. It’s our people who have made the biggest difference even in the most challenging times during lockdown.

“To all our colleagues at Hay Hampers goes our deepest appreciation and thanks for their hard work and the goals achieved in the last years together. With great people, you have great business!”

He added: “We are delighted to be able to announce this deal with the international firm Moguntia Food Group which we believe creates the next phase in Hay Hampers’ positive trajectory as it will open new business opportunities and markets.”

Founded in 1984, the luxury food and wine company was taken over by the family-owned Italian company Dare & Dare Limited in 2014.

Since then, Hay Hampers is said to have reported a steady and consistent growth and made a name for itself in the upmarket gift industry.

The hampers feature a range of expertly selected gourmet food and wine from small, artisan producers based in the UK as well as in Europe.

They include meats, cheese, cakes, chocolates and crisps for a range of occasions from birthdays and Christmas to retirements and new babies.

With existing UK sites in Hetton-le-Hole, Durham, and Market Harborough in Leicestershire, Moguntia Food Group is a fourth generation family business with headquarters in Switzerland.

It operates in various channels and sectors in the food industry, has large manufacturing sites in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, UK and is present in 23 countries.

Paul Yeates, CEO of the UK and a group board director, said: “The acquisition of Hay Hampers achieves our strategic objective of building and developing our e-commerce/on line presence in this growing channel. We intend to build on the excellent work that Gabriele and Elisabeth have done and look forward to welcoming all the Hay Hampers’ colleagues to the Moguntia family.”

For more information visit www.hampers.co.uk