Amplify Snack Brands, Inc. and Crisps Topco Limited and Subsidiaries (“Tyrrells”) today announced that they have executed a definitive agreement under which Amplify will acquire Tyrrells, an international, market-leading and rapidly growing premium Better-For-You snack food business. The transaction has been unanimously approved by Amplify’s board of directors. Under the terms of the £300 million transaction, Tyrrells’ current owner Investcorp and members of the Tyrrells management team will receive approximately £278 million in cash and approximately 2.1 million shares of Amplify’s common stock.1 Amplify expects to close the transaction by the end of the third quarter of calendar 2016. Amplify expects that this acquisition will be accretive to both the Company’s 2017 and 2018 diluted earnings per share.
Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Herefordshire, England, Tyrrells is a diversified, international snacking company that manufactures and markets iconic, market-leading brands including Tyrrells Potato Crisps, Tyrrells branded Vegetable Crisps, Tyrrells Poshcorn, Tyrrells Nibbles, Tyrrells Tortillas, in the United Kingdom, Europe and many other international markets; Yarra Valley, manufacturer of Thomas Chipman and The Wholesome Food Company brands in Australia; and Aroma Snacks, manufacturer of Lisa’s kettle chips in Germany. Importantly, the product characteristics and flavor profiles of these on-trend premium brands align with Amplify’s Better-For-You snacking strategy. With distribution across a highly diverse set of international sales channels, Tyrrells generated approximately $111 million in net sales for the last twelve months (“LTM”) ended June 30, 2016, and achieved a compound annual net sales growth rate of 23% from fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2016. During the last twelve months ended June 30, 2016, Tyrrells generated approximately £18.3 in management presented EBITDA, as adjusted through due diligence in connection with the transaction.2 Tyrrells is the #2 player in the hand-cooked premium chip market in the UK and the #1 player in France, with existing and growing penetration in other key Western European markets. Tyrrells has a strong presence across the potato chip, vegetable chip, corn chip and popcorn product categories and is supported by five international manufacturing facilities in England, Germany, and Australia.