Offer for Napier Brown Foods

Real Good Food Company Plc (The) 27 July 2005 For immediate release Part 1 of 2 Not for release, publication or distribution in or into or from the United States, Canada, Australia, the Republic of Ireland or Japan 27 July 2005 The Real Good Food Company plc Recommended all share offer for Napier Brown Foods Plc to be made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of The Real Good Food Company plc. Summary • The boards of NBF and RGFC are pleased to announce the terms of a recommended all share offer for the whole of the issued and to be issued share capital of NBF. • The Offer will be 1.6236 RGFC Shares for every NBF Share. On this basis, the Offer values each NBF share at approximately 220 pence and the entire existing issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of NBF (assuming full exercise of the options and warrants granted under the NBF Share Option Schemes) at approximately £67.74 million, based on the Closing Price of 135.5 pence per RGFC Share on 26 July 2005, the last dealing day prior to the date of this announcement. • The Offer represents a premium of (i) approximately 26.44 per cent. over the Closing Price of 174 pence per NBF Share on 17 June 2005, the last dealing day prior to the date on which RGFC announced that it was in discussions with NBF concerning a potential offer for NBF and (ii) approximately 22.22 per cent. over the Closing Price of 180 pence per NBF Share on 7 March 2005, the last dealing day prior to the announcement by NBF that it had received a proposal regarding a possible offer for NBF. • In view of its size the Offer is conditional, inter alia, on the approval of RGFC Shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting to be convened shortly. • Shareholder approval of the Offer is also necessary in order to obtain from the Panel dispensation from the requirement for NB. Ingredients to make a mandatory offer for the Company pursuant to Rule 9 of the Code. • The RGFC Directors, who have been so advised by Numis Securities Limited, believe that both the terms of the Offer and the waiver of the Rule 9 obligation are fair and reasonable and in the best interests of the Company and the Shareholders. Accordingly, the RGFC Directors will be unanimously recommending that shareholders vote in favour of the Offer and in favour of the waiver of the Rule 9 obligation as they have irrevocably undertaken to do in respect of their aggregate shareholdings of 2,500,000 Existing Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 17.74 per cent. of the Existing Ordinary Shares. • The NBF Independent Directors, who have been so advised by John East & Partners Limited, consider the terms of the Offer to be fair and reasonable. In providing advice to the NBF Independent Directors, John East & Partners Limited has taken account of the NBF Independent Directors' commercial assessments. • Accordingly, the NBF Independent Directors will be unanimously recommending that NBF Shareholders accept the Offer as they have irrevocably undertaken to do so in respect of their own aggregate beneficial interest in NBF (comprising, in aggregate, 209,092 NBF Shares and representing approximately 0.74 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share capital of NBF). Such undertakings will cease to be binding in the event of a higher competing offer, or if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. • Patrick Ridgwell and NB. Ingredients Limited have given irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer in respect of their entire beneficial holdings of 13,736,361 NBF Shares, representing 48.63 per cent. of the issued share capital of NBF. Such undertakings will cease to be binding only if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. • Furthermore, Agman Holdings Limited have given an irrevocable undertaking to accept the Offer in respect of their entire beneficial holding of 2,790,697 NBF Shares, representing 9.88 per cent. of the issued share capital of NBF. Such undertaking will cease in the event of a higher competing offer, or if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. • In addition, RGFC has also received irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer from certain other shareholders (details of which are set out in Part 2) in respect of their entire holdings of, in aggregate, 4,161,230 NBF Shares, representing approximately 14.73 per cent. of NBF's existing issued ordinary share capital. Such undertakings will cease to be binding only if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. • In aggregate, RGFC has received irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer in respect of 20,897,380 NBF Shares, representing approximately 73.98 per cent. of NBF's existing issued ordinary share capital. • The formal documentation relating to the Offer is expected to be despatched to NBF Shareholders (other than certain Overseas Shareholders) shortly. • Commenting on the Offer, Jeremy Hamer, the Senior Independent Director of NBF said: 'Since the Company's admission to AIM in December 2003, it has been the Board's intention to seek to broaden the Company's base into value added areas within the food industry. This offer follows our stated strategy and enables Napier Brown Foods Shareholders to hold shares in a broader based food group.' • Commenting on the Offer, Pieter Totte, Non-executive Chairman of RGFC said: 'I am delighted to announce the recommended offer for Napier Brown Foods plc. This transaction will significantly increase our critical mass and will provide us with the opportunity to build The Real Good Food Company plc into a major force in the food sector in the years ahead' This summary should be read in conjunction with the full text of the following announcement. Appendix II contains the sources and bases for certain information set out in this announcement. Appendix III to this announcement contains definitions of certain expressions used in this summary and in this announcement. Enquiries: Andrew Dawber Nick Westlake Numis Securities Limited Tel: 020 7776 1500 (Financial Adviser to RGFC) Simon Clements David Worlidge John East & Partners Limited Tel: 020 7628 2200 (Financial Adviser to NBF) Emma Kane Duncan McCormick Redleaf Communications Ltd Tel: 020 7955 1410 (PR Adviser to RGFC) Numis Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for RGFC and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than RGFC for providing the protections afforded to clients of Numis Securities Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer or in relation to the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement referred to herein. John East & Partners Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for NBF and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than NBF for providing the protections afforded to clients of John East & Partners Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer or in relation to the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement referred to herein. The Offer will not be made, directly or indirectly, and this announcement should not be sent, in or into or from the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan or by use of the mails or by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, telephonically or electronically) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facilities of a national securities exchange of, any of these jurisdictions and doing so may render invalid any purported acceptance of the Offer. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and any other document relating to the Offer are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan. Any person (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) who may have contractual or legal obligations, or may otherwise intend, to forward this announcement to any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom should read the relevant provisions of the Offer Document before taking any action. The availability of the Offer to persons not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom should inform themselves about and observe any applicable requirements. This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer or an invitation to purchase any securities. The Offer will be subject to the City Code. Under the rules of the City Code, there are certain dealing disclosure requirements which apply in respect of dealings in relevant securities during an offer period. An offer period was deemed to have commenced by virtue of the announcement on 8 March 2005 that NBF had received a proposal regarding a possible offer for NBF. As a result, any person who, alone or acting together with any other person(s) pursuant to an agreement or understanding (whether formal or informal) to acquire or control securities of RGFC or NBF, owns or controls, or becomes the owner or controller, directly or indirectly of one per cent. or more of any class of securities of RGFC or NBF is generally required under the provisions of Rule 8 of the City Code to notify a Regulatory Information Service and the Panel of every dealing in such securities until such time as the offer period ends for the purposes of the City Code. If required, any disclosures should be made on an appropriate form by no later than 12 noon London time on the business day following the date of the dealing transaction. These disclosures should be sent to a Regulatory Information Service with a copy sent (by fax or email) to the Panel (fax number +44 (0)20 7236 7013, email: monitoring@disclosure.org.uk). This announcement contains certain statements that are or may be forward-looking. These statements typically contain words such as 'intends', ' expects', 'anticipates', 'estimates' and words of similar import. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, factors identified elsewhere in this announcement as well as the following possibilities: future revenues are lower than expected; costs of difficulties relating to the integration of the businesses of RGFC and NBF, or of other future acquisitions, are greater than expected; expected cost savings from the transaction or from other future acquisitions are not fully realised or not realised within the expected time frame; competitive pressures in the industry increase; general economic conditions or conditions affecting the relevant industries, whether internationally or in the places where RGFC and NBF do business, are less favourable than expected; and/or conditions in the securities market are less favourable than expected. Part 2 of 2 Not for release, publication or distribution in or into or from the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 27 July 2005 The Real Good Food Company plc Recommended all share offer for Napier Brown Foods Plc to be made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of The Real Good Food Company plc. • The Offer will be 1.6236 RGFC Shares for every NBF Share. • RGFC has received undertakings to accept the Offer in respect of approximately 20,897,380 NBF Shares, representing approximately 73.98 per cent., in aggregate, of the existing issued ordinary share capital of NBF. Undertakings in respect of 17,897,591 NBF Shares, representing 63.36 per cent., in aggregate, of the existing issued ordinary share capital of NBF will cease to be binding only if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. Undertakings in respect of 2,999,789 NBF Shares, representing 10.62 per cent., in aggregate, of the existing issued ordinary share capital of NBF cease in the event of a higher competing offer, or if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. 1. Introduction The boards of RGFC and NBF are pleased to announce a recommended all share offer, to be made by Numis Securities Limited for and on behalf of RGFC, to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of NBF. 2. Terms of the Offer The Offer, which will be made on the terms and subject to the conditions set out below and in Appendix 1 to this announcement, and subject to the further terms to be set out in the Offer Document and in the Form of Acceptance, will be made on the following basis: for every NBF Share 1.6236 New RGFC Shares The Offer values each NBF Share at 220 pence, based on the Closing Price of 135.5 pence per RGFC Share on 26 July 2005, the last dealing day prior to the announcement of the Offer and values the whole of NBF's existing issued share capital at approximately £67.74 million. On the same basis, the Offer represents: • a premium of approximately 22.22 per cent. to the Closing Price of 180 pence per NBF Share on 7 March 2005 (the last dealing day before NBF's announcement that it was in talks regarding a possible offer for NBF); • a premium of approximately 26.44 per cent. to the Closing Price of 174 pence per NBF Share on 17 June 2005 (the last dealing day prior to the date on which RGFC announced that it was in discussions with NBF concerning a potential offer for NBF); and • a price in excess of any Closing Price per NBF Share since it joined AIM on 18 December 2003. The Offer extends to all NBF Shares unconditionally allotted or issued and fully paid on the date of the Offer. The Offer also extends to any NBF Shares which are unconditionally allotted or issued and fully paid while the Offer remains open for acceptance (or by such earlier date as RGFC may, subject to the City Code or with the consent of the Panel, determine) including any NBF Shares which are so unconditionally allotted or issued and fully paid pursuant to the exercise of rights granted under the NBF Share Option Schemes. The NBF Shares will be acquired free from all liens, charges and encumbrances and together with all rights now and here-after attaching thereto including the right to receive and retain all dividends and other distribution declared, made or paid after 26 July, 2005 other than the right to receive and retain the second interim dividend of 2p per NBF Share payable on 31 August 2005. Fractions of New RGFC Shares will not be issued to Accepting NBF Shareholders. Accepting NBF Shareholders will be issued with whole numbers of New RGFC Shares, with any fractional entitlements rounded down to the nearest whole New RGFC Share. 3. Background to and reasons for the Offer RGFC was established to build, through acquisition and organic growth, a food group with a spread of activity across the retail, food services and industrial sectors of the food market. It has also been the stated aim of the NBF Board to seek to diversify into other growth areas in the food industry away from NBF's traditional product base. The Offer will provide the Enlarged Group with critical mass, reduce operational risk as it will dilute the exposure to reliance upon key customers or particular product ranges and enable both companies to achieve their stated strategic goals. 4. Irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer RGFC has received irrevocable undertakings from Patrick Ridgwell, non-executive Chairman, and NB. Ingredients Limited, a company in which Patrick Ridgwell and Anthony Ridgwell are interested, to accept, or to procure the acceptance of, the Offer in respect of their entire beneficial holdings of 13,736,361 NBF Shares representing, in aggregate, approximately 48.63 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of NBF. Such undertakings will cease to be binding only if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. In addition, RGFC has received irrevocable undertakings from the NBF Independent Directors to accept, or to procure the acceptance of, the Offer in respect of their entire beneficial holdings of 209,092 NBF Shares, representing, in aggregate, approximately 0.74 per cent. of the existing issued share capital of NBF. Such undertakings will cease to be binding in the event of the announcement of a higher competing offer, or if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. RGFC has also received irrevocable undertakings to accept the Offer from certain other shareholders in respect of their entire holdings of, in aggregate, 6,951,927 NBF Shares, representing approximately 24.62 per cent. of NBF's existing issued ordinary share capital. Further details are set out below. Shareholder Number of NBF Shares % of existing issued share capital of NBF Agman Holdings Limited* 2,790,697 9.88 Rathbone Nominees Limited 803,409 2.84 Rathbone Income and Growth Fund 272,727 0.97 Rathbone Smaller Companies Fund 363,637 1.28 Rathbone Special Situations Fund 454,545 1.61 Rathbone Spenser Fund 72,727 0.26 Citygate Nominees 923,635 3.27 Brewin Dolphin Securities Ltd. 644,890 2.28 JM Finn Nominees Limited 140,600 0.50 David Reynolds 153,485 0.54 Marcus Reynolds 149,985 0.53 P Reynolds 39,700 0.14 C Reynolds 32,000 0.11 Kate Reynolds 15,950 0.05 Charles and Kate Reynolds 3,940 0.01 Weighbridge Trust Limited as 90,000 0.32 trustees of the Rowan Trust The undertaking marked with an * relate to a beneficial holding of shares and will cease to be binding in the event of a higher or competing offer, or if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. All other undertakings will cease to be binding only if the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. 5. The Offer for Subscription RGFC has raised approximately £5.1 million, before expenses, under the Offer for Subscription, which is conditional upon the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects. 6. Information on RGFC RGFC was established to build, through acquisition and organic growth, a food group focusing on the supply of a range of chilled, frozen and ambient products to food retailers, the food services market and industrial customers. The Directors seek to integrate businesses acquired into existing group operations to achieve operational improvements, so that trading margins and profitability are enhanced and also to exploit cross selling opportunities within the Group's customer base. Its current trading divisions are: Haydens Bakeries Haydens Bakeries supplies and produces high value bakery products and desserts with strong production skills in hand finishing, laminated yeasted dough products, and utilising quality fresh fruit in those products sold to grocery retail customers ('Haydens Bakeries'). The business operates from a 6,721m(2) factory in Devizes, Wiltshire and employs approximately 300 people. Five Star Fish Five Star Fish supplies value-added, prepared frozen fish to the food service sector ('Five Star Fish'). The business is based in Grimsby, Lincolnshire and delivers to over 100 customers nationwide and employs approximately 200 people. Seriously Scrumptious Seriously Scrumptious is engaged in high quality cake manufacturing and individual portion bakery products for the retail and food service sectors. These products are produced at the Devizes factory ('Seriously Scrumptious'). Detailed financial information on RGFC for the accounting period from incorporation until 31 December 2004 will be set out in the Offer Document which will be despatched to NBF Shareholders shortly. The summarised historical results of RGFC set out below have been extracted from the audited consolidated accounts of RGFC: 16 months 7 months ended ended 31 December 31 August 2004 2003 £'000 £'000 Turnover 44,608 3,723 Gross profit/operating income 12,782 873 Exceptional items and loss on disposal of discontinued operation (net of tax) (1,712) - Goodwill amortisation and impairment (666) (6) Net interest charge (435) (13) Loss before taxation (2,803) (232) Taxation 973 - Loss attributable to shareholders (1,830) (232) Total assets 34,506 7,431 Net current liabilities (3,215) (1,280) Net debt (9,007) (512) Shareholders' funds 11,863 1,176 Loss per ordinary share (16.7p) (7.4p) Earnings/(Loss) per ordinary share before goodwill amortisation, impairment and exceptional items 5.0p (7.2p) 7. Information on NBF NBF is the holding company of a group of companies which is focussed on the supply of sugar, value-added sugar and nut products and dairy powders and associated food products. NBF trades through its subsidiary, Napier Brown & Company which, in turn, operates the businesses of each of its (now dormant) subsidiaries, Garrett, Sefcol and James Budgett, together with the business acquired from Renshaw Scott, in two trading divisions, the Ingredients and Renshaw divisions. Napier Brown & Company, including the James Budgett business is the largest independent, non-refining, distributor of sugar in the UK. It also supplies sugar, dairy products, blends and associated ingredients to the food industry. Through its Renshaw division, it is a supplier of value-added sugar and nut products. The Renshaw Scott business, part of the Renshaw division, is the UK's leading manufacturer of marzipans, for the retail and industrial sectors and also a manufacturer of ready to roll icings, baking chocolate and jam to the industrial sector. The NBF Group's administrative headquarters is based in St Katharine's Dock on the edge of the City of London. Napier Brown & Company's Ingredients division operates from a freehold factory and rented warehouse space in Normanton, near Leeds, where it mills, sieves and packs brown and white sugars and provides a blending facility for the Group and its customers and from a sales office in Thornbury (ex Garrett). The Renshaw division operates from Runcorn, Cheshire, where it manufactures its range of products from a freehold factory with associated warehousing and the Renshaw Scott business operates from two factories in Liverpool and Carluke, Scotland. Detailed financial information on NBF for the three financial periods ended 3 April 2005 will be set out in the Offer Document which will be despatched to NBF Shareholders shortly. The summarised historical results of NBF set out below have been extracted from financial information which will be set out in the Offer Document. 53 week period ended Year ended Year ended 3 April 28 March 31 March 2005 2004 2003 £'000 £'000 £'000 Turnover 269,985 194,256 185,397 Gross Profit 18,407 13,922 12,845 Gross Margin % 6.8% 7.2% 6.9% Operating Profit 5,951 667 4,757 Operating Margin % 2.2% 0.3% 2.6% 8. Current Trading and Prospects RGFC Overall sales levels and operating profit across the RGFC Group are in line with the RGFC Directors' expectations for the first six months of 2005. Both of the RGFC Group's principal businesses, Haydens Bakeries and Five Star Fish, are trading well above the same period a year ago and their gross margins have improved in comparison with the same period in 2004. On 27 May 2005, the Company announced the closure of its Coolfresh Distribution business due to unsuccessful discussions in relation to a possible acquisition in this sector and the business having a negative cash effect on the RGFC Group. The production unit ceased substantive production in early June and is due to vacate the site at the end of July 2005. A wide range of new product development activity is in place with the RGFC Group's major customers which the Board expect to give rise to a significant uplift in volumes in the second half of the year.* Haydens Bakeries revenues for the first six months of the year are up 17 per cent. on last year, with profits generated versus losses in the first half of the year. Product development programmes continues to deliver new listings and a major re-launch of their cream cake range has already been implemented for Waitrose in May. New customer listings have been secured with Budgens and plans are in place for new launches to new customers in the Autumn. Capital investment on the new frying line will increase capacity and efficiency at the end of the year. With the restructuring of the senior management team now virtually complete, the business has decided to integrate the Seriously Scrumptious commercial and operation functions into the spare capacity at the Haydens Bakeries site. As a consequence the Glastonbury site will close during the summer, with the company seeking to re-assign the lease. Whilst the foodservice market remains slow, reflecting the downturn in consumer spending, Five Star Fish's commitment to product development and excellent customer service puts the business in a strong position to increase market share. Revenues for the first six months of the year are 13 per cent. up on the same period last year, which were the highest ever achieved, with a positive trend into higher added value product ranges and an increasingly broader customer base. The Board believe that the underlying performance of its two principal business units, Haydens Bakeries and Five Star Fish, is strong and both are performing well in their respective market places. (* Note: This statement does not constitute a profit forecast nor should it be interpreted to mean that future earnings per RGFC Share following the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects will necessarily match or exceed historical earnings per RGFC Share.) NBF The following is extracted from the Chairman's statement which forms part of the audited preliminary results for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005 as announced today: 'It gives me great pleasure to present the group's first set of full year results for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005. We have had a busy year and, as I reported in the interim statement, much has been achieved. The integration of the three companies purchased at the time of the flotation in to Napier Brown & Company ('NBC') was completed at the end of last year and therefore these results include a full year of trading as one company. The benefits of the integration are continuing to accrue as the businesses work more closely together selling a broader range of products across a larger customer base. This was followed by the acquisition of James Budgett Sugars Limited ('JBS') on 7 July 2004 for £17.4 million. JBS has been a supplier of sugar in the UK since 1857 and its addition to the group expands our sugar operations. At the time of the interim report I reported that we had planned to integrate JBS into NBC immediately but this plan was delayed by the decision of the Office of Fair Trading to refer the merger to the Competition Commission. I am pleased to report that, in March 2005, the Competition Commission allowed us to continue with our acquisition of JBS. Following the announcement, we have within a very short space of time, closed all of JBS's operations and integrated them into the Ingredients division of NBC. As previously announced, the delay in integrating JBS has resulted in additional administrative costs of £0.6 million in the year under review. On 2 September 2004, the Company acquired the trade and certain assets of Renshaw Scott Limited ('Renshaw'), which has two manufacturing sites, Liverpool and Carluke. At the Liverpool site the company manufactures icings and marzipan for the baking industry. These operations were very similar to those performed at our Runcorn production site and on 30 September 2004 we announced that the majority of the Runcorn site would be closed, leaving only nut production in a dedicated plant, while all manufacturing of icings and marzipan would be transferred to the Liverpool site. The transfer of the Runcorn business was in accordance with the Board's action plan and all production has now been transferred to the Liverpool site. The freehold manufacturing units at Runcorn, which previously housed those activities that have now been moved to the Liverpool site, is currently being actively marketed and a number of parties have shown interest. The Board have received an offer of £2.2 million for these units. As a result of bringing together the two businesses at the Liverpool site the Board expects significant production efficiencies to emerge over the coming 12-18 months. The Carluke site manufactures baking chocolate and retail jams and remains a standalone production unit. Greater focus has been given to the site since our acquisition and I look forward to reporting increased levels of business from this site together with the launch of new product ranges in my next statement. Following the acquisition of Renshaw we have formed two divisions within NBC, the Ingredients and Renshaw divisions, both of which work closely together. The creation of two divisions is for operational purposes only. We continue to have one business activity being the supply of sugar related products to the food industry. I am delighted to propose a second interim dividend of 2 pence per share which will be payable on 31 August 2005, to those shareholders on the register on 5 August 2005. This will bring the total dividend payable for the year to 3 pence per share which is in line with our stated policy (based on the Company's normalised profit) at the time the Company was admitted to trading on AIM. Trading Results The trading results for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005 were in line with management expectations showing a profit before exceptional items and taxation of £4.8 million (2004: £1.2 million). Exceptional items in the period, which related to costs of reorganising the business and closure of an acquired business, amounted to £1.7 million (2004: £0.4 million). Operating profit before exceptional items, the additional JBS costs and amortisation of goodwill for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005 was £10.6 million (2004: £1.9 million) as follows: 2005 2004 £'million £'million Operating profit 5.9 1.1 Amortisation of goodwill 2.4 0.4 Exceptional items 1.7 0.4 JBS additional costs 0.6 - 10.6 1.9 The comparative figures are for the period from 7 July 2003 and only include NBC's trading results for the period from 18 December 2003. The results for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005 show a full year of NBC's trading together with two significant acquisitions. Consequently, the group has changed significantly in the last year and as such the Directors no longer consider it appropriate to include a pro forma profit and loss account. The basic earnings per share for the year under review rose from 4.56 pence to 4.78 pence. Before taking into account amortisation of goodwill, the basic earnings per share was 13.74 pence (2004: 9.47 pence) and before goodwill amortisation and exceptional items basic earnings per share was 20.21 pence (2004: 13.91 pence). The gearing of the group at the year end was 168 per cent. This has continued at a high level in part due to the additional costs associated with the Competition Commission Inquiry and as stated in previous reports the Board had not expected any significant change in the levels of gearing by the year end. In the period under review the business has generated an operating cash flow (before financing costs) of £8 million. The group continues to be cash generative and this along with further facilities available will enable the group to manage its debt and reduce gearing levels in the future. Interest cover for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005 was 2.9 times operating profit before amortisation of goodwill (2004: 4.8 times). Hedging Following a review of the previous hedging arrangements the company has taken steps to hedge its interest rate exposure on borrowings. During the period the company entered into two interest rate swaps, which cover £36 million of the groups borrowing. Staff I started my statement by saying it has been an exceptionally busy time for the group and how much has been achieved in the last year. It is a credit to our staff that so much has been achieved in such a short period and I would like to thank them for their efforts over the year. Outlook Current trading is in line with management expectations. The group now has a 'clear run' ahead of it. The integration of all the acquisitions has been completed and a structure is now in place to enable the board to operate the group more efficiently. Consequently, the Board believes that we can now more readily take advantage of the production synergies and the cross selling opportunities offered by the enlarged group. The Company announced on 27 June 2005 that the European Commission has announced its proposals for the reform of the EU sugar regime. In summary, the EU Commission proposes to reduce EU sugar production over a four year period, commencing in July 2006. Consequently, it is expected that EU prices will eventually be 39 per cent. lower than current pricing levels, which would bring them more into line with world market levels. As a result of the changes, the Board expects that certain EU producers and refiners will cease to trade, while others have acknowledged that their profit margins will be reduced. Furthermore, these changes are expected to increase the amount of imported sugars from the developing world to compensate for the proposed reduction in EU sugar production. The Company welcomes these proposed changes and the Board believes they will strengthen its position in the sugar market, particularly as the Company is not a sugar refiner and sources its sugars from a number of producers. Earlier today, The Real Good Food Company plc ('RGFC') announced the terms of an all share recommended offer for the Company. As you will have read in the Company's AIM prospectus and my previous statements it was always the intention of the Company to seek to broaden its base into valued added areas within the food industry. This offer, given the trading activities of RGFC, will allow us to follow our stated strategy and enable shareholders to hold shares in a broader based food group. If our shareholders decide to accept the offer, as I and my family interests have undertaken to do, I look forward to working closely with the management team of RGFC. Shareholders will note that under the terms of the offer, Christopher Thomas and I will remain actively involved at board level to oversee the integration of the two businesses and the development of the trading activities of the enlarged group.' 9. Further terms of the Offer Due to the size of the Acquisition of NBF, RGFC will require the approval of RGFC Shareholders, which will be sought at an extraordinary general meeting of RGFC to be held on or about 23 days after the Prospectus is posted. The RGFC Directors whose aggregate holdings of Ordinary Shares amount to 17.74 per cent. of RGFC's existing ordinary share capital, have each irrevocably undertaken to vote in favour of each of the EGM resolutions. The New RGFC Shares will be issued credited as fully paid and free from all liens, equities, charges, encumbrances and other interests. The New RGFC Shares will be identical to and rank pari passu in all respects with the existing issued RGFC Shares, including the right to receive and retain all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid thereafter. The Offer will also be subject to the conditions and further terms set out in Appendix I to this announcement and the further terms and conditions to be set out in the Offer Document and Form of Acceptance. 10. Directors Upon the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects, Patrick Ridgwell, will join the Board as non-executive deputy Chairman and Christopher Thomas will join as a non-executive director. Biographies of the Directors and Proposed Directors are set out below: Pieter Willem Totte (Non-executive Chairman), aged 54, has considerable knowledge of the food sector and has acted as a corporate finance adviser in a large number of transactions within the food industry over the last 20 years and more recently has been retained as an advisor to various companies operating in the food sector including acting on the flotation of Glisten Plc and on various acquisitions for Finsbury Food Group Plc. Patrick George Ridgwell (Non-executive Chairman of NBF and proposed Non-executive Deputy Chairman of the Company), aged 59, has extensive experience of the sugar industry and other food sectors, having acquired and developed a number of food businesses during his career. He joined Napier Brown & Company in 1964, becoming a director in 1969 and managing director in 1972, following its acquisition by his family interests in 1970. He is chairman of Napier Brown Holdings which is controlled by his family interests. John Frederick Gibson (Chief Executive), aged 53, has spent his entire working life in the food industry. He has been employed in both sales and operational roles for a number of the UK's leading food producers including Grand Metropolitan, Unigate Plc (renamed Uniq Plc) and Muller UK Limited. Since 1998 he has worked as chief executive officer or chief operating officer for a number of smaller unquoted and publicly quoted companies including Elizabeth the Chef Limited and S Daniels Plc, several of which have been in turnaround situations. He has also worked with several companies which have been engaged in acquisitive expansion programmes. Lee Mark Camfield (Finance Director), aged 37, qualified as a management accountant in 1991. He has held a number of financial appointments with food manufacturing companies including Coca-Cola & Schweppes Beverages Limited, The Cheese Company Limited, H.J. Heinz Limited and more recently Golden West Foods Limited. Positions held have included group financial controller, finance controller, and business planning and development manager. Peter Cecil Salter (Non-executive Director), aged 57, was formerly chief executive partner at Horwath Clark Whitehill, Chartered Accountants. Prior to this he was a tax specialist at the firm. Following this he has spent six years in international corporate consultancy advising on mergers and acquisitions. He has wide experience of working with financial institutions and companies and heads the Company's Audit and Remuneration Committees. Richard Gradowski-Smith (Non-executive Director), aged 39, has gained a wealth of experience at a senior management level within the hospitality industry. He has been involved in brands such as TGI Fridays, Pret a Manger as well as successfully establishing the Seattle Coffee Company which was acquired as a result by Starbucks Coffee. Richard is currently an executive director of Welcome Break. James Campbell Mitchell (Non-executive Director), aged 56, was formerly managing director of Eurofoods and Nicholas & Harris Limited (the former holding company of Eurofoods). He has over 30 years of experience in the food sector during which time he has established trading links with many of the major retailers. He has a strong management background with companies who specialise in the manufacture of high quality cakes, prestige bakery goods and allied products and is recognised as one of the leading developers of the quality celebration cake market in the UK. Christopher Owen Thomas (Chief Executive of NBF and proposed Non-executive Director of the Company), aged 60, qualified as a chartered accountant with Harmood Banner, a predecessor firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1969. In 1973, after working abroad, he joined Breakmate Limited, a vending business, which was admitted to the Unlisted Securities Market in 1984. Following a sale of the business he worked as a financial consultant. In 1992 he joined the NBF Group as group finance director. For the last thirteen years he has been directly involved with the day-to-day operations of the individual businesses within the NBF Group. 11. NBF Share Option Schemes The Offer extends to any NBF Shares issued or unconditionally allotted and fully paid (or credited as fully paid) whilst the Offer remains open for acceptance (or, subject to the City Code, by such earlier date as RGFC may decide), including NBF Shares issued pursuant to the exercise of options or rights granted under the NBF CSOP, NBF Non-Approved Plan, the NBF SIP and the NBF Warrants or otherwise. All options over NBF Shares issued under the NBF Non-Approved Plan becomes exercisable upon the Offer becoming or being declared wholly unconditional. If this occurs, persons who hold such options will therefore be in a position to exercise their options and accept the Offer in respect of the NBF Shares issued to them. In so far as they are not exercised within the compulsory acquisition period pursuant to sections 428 to 430 of the Act (in respect of all options), such options will lapse. It is proposed that RGFC will make appropriate proposals to the relevant participants in the NBF CSOP, NBF Non-Approved Plan, NBF SIP and NBF Warrants to roll over or exchange their options and warrants over NBF Shares for equivalent options and warrants over RGFC Shares the terms of which new options and warrants will be set out in the Prospectus. 12. Inducement fee At the start of RGFC's negotiations with NBF regarding a possible offer for NBF, RGFC agreed to pay NBF an inducement fee of £200,000 in the event of the proposed offer lapsing or being withdrawn or not being financed, made or declared unconditional by a specified date, or if the RGFC Board did not recommend RGFC Shareholders to vote in favour of the proposed offer. The date originally specified has now passed and although it has not formally waived its rights, NBF has not sought to recover payment and it is expected that the inducement fee will not be payable if the Offer (as referred to in this announcement) is declared unconditional in all respects. 13. Loan Note Arrangements NB. Ingredients Limited, which is ultimately controlled by interests of the Ridgwell family and of which Patrick Ridgwell and Anthony Ridgwell are both directors, holds £9.3 million of NBF loan notes, which were due to have been redeemed by NBF as to £6.5 million on 31 December 2005 and £2.8 million on 31 December 2006 ('Loan Notes'). RGFC has agreed to take an assignment of both Loan Notes and to pay to NB. Ingredients the full amount of the Loan Notes plus interest as provided therein under the terms of an assignment agreement to be entered into between NB. Ingredients and RGFC (the 'Loan Note Assignment'). Under the terms of the Loan Note Assignment £6.5 million will be paid to NB. Ingredients as soon as practicable following the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects and the balance together with interest in tranches of at least £250,000 out of the proceeds of any equity fundraising or from the proceeds of exercise of options or warrants under the NBF Share Option Schemes or on 31 December, 2006, if earlier. As the redemption of the December 2005 loan notes will be, and the repayment of the December 2006 loan notes may be, in advance of the scheduled redemption dates and the loan notes are held by NB. Ingredients which will be given special rights over RGFC, these arrangements are deemed to be a special arrangement under the City Code. John East & Partners Limited has advised the NBF Independent Directors that the terms of the early redemption of the December 2005 and 2006 loan notes are fair and reasonable in so far as other NBF Shareholders are concerned. In providing its advice to the NBF Independent Directors, John East & Partners Limited has taken account of their commercial assessments. 14. Compulsory acquisition and cancellation of admission NBF Shareholders should note that if RGFC receives acceptances under the Offer in respect of, and/or otherwise acquires 90 per cent. or more of, the NBF Shares to which the offer relates, RGFC intends to exercise its rights under sections 428 to 430F of the Act to compulsorily acquire the remaining NBF Shares. NBF Shareholders should also note that RGFC intends to procure that NBF applies to AIM for the cancellation of the admission of NBF Shares to trading on AIM not less than 15 business days following the date on which the Offer becomes or is declared unconditional in all respects. NBF Shareholders should note that cancellation of such admission would significantly reduce the liquidity and marketability of any NBF Shares in respects of which acceptances of the Offer are not validly made. RGFC also intends to procure the re-registration of NBF as a private company under the relevant provisions of the Act. 15. Overseas Shareholders The availability of the Offer to Overseas Shareholders may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions. Overseas Shareholders should inform themselves about and observe any applicable requirements in relation to the Offer. The Offer is not being, and will not be, made, directly or indirectly, in or into, or by use of the mails of, or by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, facsimile transmission, telex, telephone or e-mail) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or by any facilities of a national securities exchange of, the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan and cannot be accepted by any such use, means, instrumentality or facility or from within the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan. Accordingly, copies of this document and the Form of Acceptance and any other documents related to the Offer are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan. 16. City Code The Offer gives rise to certain considerations under the City Code. Pursuant to Rule 9 of the City Code, any person who acquires shares, which, when taken together with shares already held by him or shares held or acquired by persons acting in concert with him, carry 30 per cent, or more of the voting rights of a company subject to the City Code, is normally required to make a general offer to all shareholders in that company in cash to acquire the remaining shares in the company not already held by them at the highest price paid for any shares in that company in the previous 12 months by the person required to make the offer or any person acting in concert with him. Where any person or persons acting in concert already hold more than 30 per cent., but not more than 50 per cent., of the voting rights of such a company, a general offer will be required if any further shares are acquired. Both Patrick Ridgwell and Anthony Ridgwell are directors of NB. Ingredients and are therefore deemed to be acting in concert with NB. Ingredients. Following completion of the Offer, NB. Ingredients will hold a maximum of 34.5 per cent and Patrick Ridgwell will hold a maximum of 0.3 per cent of the issued voting share capital of the Company. The concert party will accordingly hold in total a maximum of 34.8 per cent. of the Enlarged Issued Share Capital and therefore any further increase in that aggregate shareholding will be subject to the provisions of Rule 9. The Panel has agreed however to waive the obligation to make a general offer that would otherwise arise on completion of the Offer, subject to the approval of the Shareholders. Accordingly, a resolution is being proposed at the Extraordinary General Meeting of RGFC and will be taken on a poll. To be passed, the resolution will require the approval of a simple majority of votes cast on that poll. 17. Recommendation The NBF Independent Directors, who have been so advised by John East & Partners Limited, consider the terms of the Offer to be fair and reasonable. In providing advice to the NBF Independent Directors, John East & Partners Limited has taken account of the NBF Independent Directors' commercial assessments. Accordingly, the NBF Independent Directors will be unanimously recommending that NBF Shareholders accept the Offer as they have irrevocably undertaken to do so in respect of their own aggregate beneficial interest in NBF (comprising, in aggregate, 209,092 NBF Shares and representing approximately 0.74 per cent. of the existing issued ordinary share capital of NBF.) The RGFC Directors, who have been so advised by Numis Securities Limited, believe that both the terms of the Offer and the waiver of the Rule 9 obligation are fair and reasonable and in the best interests of the Company and the Shareholders. Accordingly, the RGFC Directors will be unanimously recommending that shareholders vote in favour of the Offer and in favour of the waiver of the Rule 9 obligation as they have irrevocably undertaken to do in respect of their aggregate shareholdings of 2,500,000 Existing Ordinary Shares, representing approximately 17.74 per cent. of the Existing Ordinary Shares. 18. Disclosure of interests in NBF Other than pursuant to the undertakings referred to in paragraph 4 of this announcement, neither RGFC nor, so far as RGFC is aware, any party acting in concert with RGFC for the purposes of the City Code, owns or controls, or holds any option over or has entered into any derivative referenced to, securities of NBF which remain outstanding on 26 July 2005, being the last dealing day prior to the announcement of the Offer. 19. General The Offer will be open for at least 21 days from the date of the Offer Document. It is expected that the Offer Document will be despatched to NBF Shareholders shortly. This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute an offer or an invitation to purchase any securities. The conditions and principal further terms of the Offer are set out in Appendix I to this announcement. The Offer will be subject to the further terms and conditions set out in the Offer Document and the Form of Acceptance. The definitions of terms used in this announcement are contained in Appendix III to this announcement. Andrew Dawber Nick Westlake Numis Securities Limited Tel: 020 7776 1500 (Financial Adviser to RGFC) Simon Clements David Worlidge John East & Partners Limited Tel: 020 7628 2200 (Financial Adviser to NBF) Emma Kane Duncan McCormick Redleaf Communications Ltd Tel: 020 7955 1410 (PR Adviser to RGFC) Numis Securities Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for RGFC and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than RGFC for providing the protections afforded to clients of Numis Securities Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer or in relation to the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement referred to herein. John East & Partners Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Services Authority, is acting exclusively for NBF and no one else in connection with the Offer and will not be responsible to anyone other than NBF for providing the protections afforded to clients of John East & Partners Limited nor for providing advice in relation to the Offer or in relation to the contents of this announcement or any transaction or arrangement referred to herein. The Offer will not be made, directly or indirectly, and this announcement should not be sent, in or into or from the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan or by use of the mails or by any means or instrumentality (including, without limitation, telephonically or electronically) of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facilities of a national securities exchange of, any of these jurisdictions and doing so may render invalid any purported acceptance of the Offer. Accordingly, copies of this announcement and any other document relating to the Offer are not being, and must not be, mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan. Any person (including, without limitation, custodians, nominees and trustees) who may have contractual or legal obligations, or may otherwise intend, to forward this announcement to any jurisdiction outside the United Kingdom should read the relevant provisions of the Offer Document before taking any action. The availability of the Offer to persons not resident in the United Kingdom may be affected by the laws of the relevant jurisdictions in which they are located. Persons who are not resident in the United Kingdom should inform themselves about and observe any applicable requirements. This announcement is not intended to and does not constitute, or form part of, an offer or any solicitation of an offer or an invitation to purchase any securities. The Offer will be subject to the City Code. Under the rules of the City Code, there are certain dealing disclosure requirements which apply in respect of dealings in relevant securities during an offer period. An offer period was deemed to have commenced by virtue of the announcement on 8 March 2005 that NBF had received a proposal regarding a possible offer for NBF. As a result, any person who, alone or acting together with any other person(s) pursuant to an agreement or understanding (whether formal or informal) to acquire or control securities of RGFC or NBF, owns or controls, or becomes the owner or controller, directly or indirectly of one per cent. or more of any class of securities of RGFC or NBF is generally required under the provisions of Rule 8 of the City Code to notify a Regulatory Information Service and the Panel of every dealing in such securities until such time as the offer period ends for the purposes of the City Code. If required, any disclosures should be made on an appropriate form by no later than 12 noon London time on the business day following the date of the dealing transaction. These disclosures should be sent to a Regulatory Information Service with a copy sent (by fax or email) to the Panel (fax number +44 (0)20 7236 7013, email: monitoring@disclosure.org.uk). This announcement contains certain statements that are or may be forward-looking. These statements typically contain words such as 'intends', ' expects', 'anticipates', 'estimates' and words of similar import. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risk and uncertainty because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that will occur in the future. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, factors identified elsewhere in this announcement as well as the following possibilities: future revenues are lower than expected; costs of difficulties relating to the integration of the businesses of RGFC and NBF, or of other future acquisitions, are greater than expected; expected cost savings from the transaction or from other future acquisitions are not fully realised or not realised within the expected time frame; competitive pressures in the industry increase; general economic conditions or conditions affecting the relevant industries, whether internationally or in the places where RGFC and NBF do business, are less favourable than expected; and/or conditions in the securities market are less favourable than expected. The financial information set out in this announcement relating to RGFC does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 262 of the Order. Horwath Clark Whitehill LLP, Chartered Accountants, have given an unqualified audit report on the statutory accounts of RGFC for the period from incorporation on 13 February 2003 until 31 December 2004. Statutory accounts of the RGFC Group for the financial period ended 31 December 2004, have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales. The financial information set out in this announcement relating to NBF does not constitute statutory accounts within the meaning of section 240 of the Act. Deloitte & Touche, Chartered Accountants, have given unqualified audit reports on the statutory accounts of NBF for each of the two financial periods ended 28 March 2004 and 3 April 2005. Statutory accounts of the NBF Group for the period ended 28 March 2004 have been delivered to the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales. Statutory accounts of the NBF Group for the 53 week period ended 3 April 2005 will be delivered to the Registrar of Companies in England and Wales in due course. Appendix 1 Conditions and further terms of the Offer 1. Conditions and certain terms of the Offer The Offer will comply with the applicable rules and regulations of the Code, will be governed by English law and will be subject to the jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales. The Offer will be subject to the terms and conditions to be set out in the Offer Document and the accompanying Form of Acceptance and will be subject to the following conditions: (a) valid acceptances being received (and not, where permitted, withdrawn) by no later than the first closing date, which will be 21 days after the posting of the Offer Document, which is due to be dispatched shortly (or such later time (s) and/or date(s) as RGFC may, subject to the rules of the Code, decide) in respect of not less than 90 per cent. in nominal value (or such lesser percentage as RGFC may decide) of the NBF Shares to which the Offer relates, provided that this condition shall not be satisfied unless RGFC and/or its wholly-owned subsidiaries shall have acquired or agreed to acquire, whether pursuant to the Offer or otherwise, NBF Shares carrying, in aggregate, more than 50 per cent. of the voting rights normally exerciseable at general meetings of NBF, including for this purpose (to the extent, if any, required by the Panel) any such voting rights attaching to any NBF Shares which are unconditionally allotted or issued fully paid (or credited as fully paid) before the Offer becomes or is declared unconditional as to acceptances, whether pursuant to the exercise of any subscription or conversion rights or otherwise. For the purposes of this condition: (i) the expression 'NBF Shares to which the Offer relates' shall be construed in accordance with sections 428-430F (inclusive) of the Act; and (ii) NBF Shares which have been unconditionally allotted but not issued shall be deemed to carry the voting rights which they will carry on issue; (iii) valid acceptances shall be deemed to have been received in respect of NBF Shares which are treated for the purposes of section 429(8) of the Act as having been acquired or contracted to be acquired by RGFC by virtue of acceptances of the Offer. (b) without limitation to condition (d) below, RGFC not having discovered or otherwise become aware prior to the date when the Offer would otherwise have become or been declared unconditional that the Office of Fair Trading intends to refer the proposed acquisition of NBF by RGFC, or any matters arising therefrom, to the Competition Commission pursuant to section 33 of the Enterprise Act 2002; (c) save as disclosed in NBF's annual report and accounts for the year ended 28 March, 2004, the audited preliminary results of NBF for the 53 week period ended 3 April, 2005 announced on 27 July, 2005, or as publicly announced by NBF by the delivery of an announcement to a Regulatory Information Service prior to 26 July, 2005, or as fairly disclosed in writing to RGFC or its financial or professional advisers prior to 26 July, 2005, (such public announcements, disclosures or information being referred to in these terms and conditions as being 'revealed'), there being no provision of any agreement, authorisation, arrangement, franchise, consent, lease, licence, permit or other instrument to which any member of the NBF Group is a party or by or to which any such member or any of its assets may be bound, entitled or subject, which as a result of the Offer or the proposed acquisition by RGFC of any shares in, or control of, NBF or otherwise, is reasonably likely to result (in each case to an extent which is material in the context of the NBF Group taken as a whole) in: (i) any monies borrowed by, or any other indebtedness, actual or contingent, of or any grant available to, any such member being or becoming repayable or capable of being declared repayable immediately or earlier than its stated maturity date, or the ability of any such member to borrow monies or incur any indebtedness being withdrawn, prohibited or inhibited or becoming capable of being withdrawn, prohibited or inhibited; (ii) any such agreement, authorisation, arrangement, franchise, consent, lease, licence, permit or other instrument or the rights, liabilities, obligations or interests of any such member thereunder being or becoming capable of being terminated or adversely modified or affected; (iii) the business of any such member in or with any other person, firm, company or body (or any arrangements relating to such business) being terminated, modified or adversely affected; (iv) any material assets or material interests of any such member being or falling to be disposed of or charged or ceasing to be available to any such member or any right arising under which any such asset or interest could be required to be disposed of or charged or could cease to be available to any such member otherwise than in the ordinary course of business; (v) the creation of any mortgage, charge or other security interest over the whole or any part of the business, property or assets of any such member or any such security (whenever created, arising or having arisen) becoming enforceable or being enforced; (vi) the financial or trading position or profits of any member of the Wider NBF Group being prejudiced or adversely affected; (vii) the creation of any material liabilities (actual or contingent) (other than in the ordinary course of business) by any member of the Wider NBF Group; (viii) any such member ceasing to be able to carry on business under any name under which it presently does; and no event having occurred which, under any provisions of any such arrangement, franchise, consent, lease, licence, permit or other instrument, would result in any of the events or circumstances which are referred to in paragraph (i) to (viii) of this condition (c) in any case to an extent which is or would be material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (d) no government, government department or governmental, quasi-governmental, supranational, statutory, regulatory, environmental or investigative body or authority (including, without limitation, any national anti-trust or merger control authority or Pensions Regulator), court, trade agency, institution or any other similar body or person whatsoever in any jurisdiction (each a 'Third Party' and all collectively 'Third Parties') having instituted or implemented or threatened, or having decided to institute, implement or threaten, any action, proceeding, suit, investigation, enquiry or reference or having made, proposed or enacted any statute, regulation, order or decision or taken any other steps which is reasonably likely to (in each case to an extent which is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group or the Wider RGFC Group, as the case may be, in each case taken as a whole): (i) make the Offer or its implementation or the Acquisition or the proposed acquisition by RGFC of all or any NBF Shares, or the acquisition or proposed acquisition of other securities in, or control of, NBF by RGFC, void, illegal and/or unenforceable under the laws of any relevant jurisdiction, or otherwise, directly or indirectly, restrain, restrict, prohibit, challenge, frustrate, delay or interfere with the same, or impose additional material conditions or obligations with respect thereto, or otherwise require material amendment to the terms of the Offer or any such acquisition (including, without limitation, taking any steps which would entitle the NBF Board to require RGFC to dispose of all or some of its NBF Shares or restrict the ability of RGFC to exercise voting rights in respect of some or all of such NBF Shares); (ii) require, prevent or delay the divestiture, or alter the terms envisaged for any proposed divestiture, by any member of the Wider RGFC Group or any member of the Wider NBF Group of all of any material portion of their respective businesses, assets or properties or impose any limitation on the ability of any of them to conduct their respective businesses or to own any of their respective assets or property to an extent which is material in the context of the Wider RGFC Group or the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole, respectively; (iii) impose any material limitation on, or result in a material delay in, the ability of any member of the Wider RGFC Group to acquire or hold or exercise effectively, directly or indirectly, all or any rights of ownership in respect of shares or other securities (or the equivalent) in any member of the Wider NBF Group or to exercise management control over any such member; (iv) otherwise materially and adversely affect in any respect any or all of the businesses, assets or profits of any member of the Wider RGFC Group or any member of the Wider NBF Group respectively in each case, to an extent which is material in the context of the Offer or either such Group taken as a whole; (v) result in any member of the Wider NBF Group ceasing to be able to carry on business or impose any limitation on the ability of any member of the Wider RGFC Group or any member of the Wider NBF Group to integrate or co-ordinate its business, or any part of it, with the business of any member of the Wider NBF Group or the Wider RGFC Group to an extent that is material in the context of the Wider RGFC Group or the Wider NBF Group; (vi) save pursuant to the Offer or Part XIIIA of the Act, require any member of the Wider RGFC Group or of the Wider NBF Group to offer to acquire any shares or other securities) in any member of the Wider NBF Group owned by any third party; (vii) impose any charge, lien, contribution notice, financial support direction or restoration order on any member of the Wider RGFC Group or any member of the Wider NBF Group respectively or over any or all of their respective businesses, assets or profits in respect of the NBF Pension Plan or otherwise. and all applicable waiting and other time periods during which any such Third Party could take, institute, implement or threaten any action, proceeding, suit, investigation, enquiry or reference under the laws of any relevant jurisdiction or enact any such statute, regulation, order or decision or take any steps having expired, lapsed or been terminated; (e) all authorisations, orders, recognitions, grants, determinations, consents, licences, confirmations, clearances, certificates, permissions and approvals (each an 'Authorisation') which are necessary in any relevant jurisdiction for or in respect of the Offer or the proposed acquisition of any shares or other securities in, or control of, NBF or any other member of the Wider NBF Group by any member of the Wider RGFC Group or the carrying on by any member of the Wider NBF Group of its business having been obtained, in terms and in a form reasonably satisfactory to RGFC from all appropriate Third Parties or from any persons or bodies with whom any member of the Wider NBF Group has entered into contractual arrangements, in each case where the absence of such Authorisation from such a person might have a material adverse effect on the Wider NBF Group (taken as a whole) and all such Authorisations remaining in full force and effect and there being no notice or intimation of any intention to revoke, withdraw, withhold, suspend, restrict, modify, amend or not to renew any of the same; (f) all notifications and filings which are necessary having been made, all appropriate waiting and other time periods (including any extensions of such waiting and other time periods) under any applicable legislation or regulation of any relevant jurisdiction having expired, lapsed or been terminated (as appropriate) and all necessary statutory or regulatory obligations in any relevant jurisdiction having been complied with in each case in connection with the Offer or the Acquisition or the proposed acquisition of any shares or other securities in, or control of, NBF or any other member of the Wider NBF Group by any member of the Wider RGFC Group where, in each case, the absence of such compliance might have a material and adverse effect on the business of any member of the Wider NBF Group; (g) save as revealed, no member of the Wider NBF Group having: (i) (save as between NBF and wholly-owned subsidiaries of NBF, or for options granted or on the exercise of rights to subscribe for NBF Shares pursuant to the exercise of options granted or the exercise of rights under the NBF Share Option Schemes prior to the date hereof) issued, agreed to issue, authorised or proposed the issue or grant of additional shares of any class, or securities convertible into, or rights, warrants or options to subscribe for, or acquire, any such shares or convertible securities or redeemed, purchased or reduced or announced any proposal to redeem, purchase or reduce any part of its share capital; (ii) recommended, declared, paid or made or proposed to declare, pay or make any bonus, dividend or other distribution whether payable in cash or otherwise, other than to NBF or wholly-owned subsidiaries of NBF; (iii) (save as between NBF and wholly-owned subsidiaries of NBF) merged with or demerged any body corporate or acquired or disposed of or transferred, mortgaged or charged or created any security interest over any assets or any rights, title or interest in any asset (including shares and trade investments), or authorised or proposed or announced any intention to propose any merger, demerger, acquisition, disposal, transfer, mortgage or charge or the creation of any security interest over the same (other than in the ordinary course of business and being material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole); (iv) (save as between NBF and wholly-owned subsidiaries of NBF, or for options granted or on the exercise of rights to subscribe for NBF Shares pursuant to the exercise of options granted or the exercise of rights under the NBF Share Option Schemes prior to the date hereof) authorised or proposed, or announced any intention to propose, any change in its share or loan capital including the purchase of any of its own shares; (v) issued, authorised or proposed the issue of or made any change in or to any debentures or incurred or increased any indebtedness or become subject to a liability (actual or contingent) which in any case is outside the ordinary course of business and material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (vi) entered into, implemented, effected, varied, authorised or proposed any contract, reconstruction, amalgamation, scheme, commitment, merger, demerger or other transaction or arrangement or waived or compromised any claim in respect of itself or another member of the Wider NBF Group, in each case otherwise than in the ordinary course of business, which in any case is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (vii) proposed any voluntary winding up; (viii) terminated or varied the terms of any agreement between any member of the Wider NBF Group and any other person in a manner which is likely to have a material adverse effect on the position of the Wider NBF Group; (ix) proposed, agreed to provide or modified the terms of any share option scheme, incentive scheme or other benefit relating to the employment or termination of employment of any person employed by the Wider NBF Group which, taken as a whole, are material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (x) entered into, varied, or authorised any agreement, transaction, arrangement or commitment (whether in respect of capital expenditure or otherwise) which: A. -is of a long term, onerous or unusual nature or magnitude or which is or could involve an obligation of such nature or magnitude; or B. -is other than in the ordinary course of business; and which in any such case is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (xi) entered into or changed the terms of any contract, agreement or arrangement with any director or senior executive of any member of the Wider NBF Group in any material respect; (xii) taken any corporate action or had any legal proceedings instituted or threatened against it or petition presented or order made for its winding-up (voluntarily or otherwise), dissolution or reorganisation or for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer of all or any material part of its assets and revenues or any analogous or equivalent steps or proceedings in or under the laws of any jurisdiction having occurred or there having been appointed any analogous person in any jurisdiction which in any case is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (xiii) been unable, or admitted in writing that it is unable, to pay its debts generally or having stopped or suspended (or threatened to stop or suspend) payment of its debts generally or ceased or threatened to cease carrying on all or a substantial part of its business in any case which is or would be material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (xiv) made any alteration to its memorandum and articles of association which is material in the context of the Offer; (xv) entered into any agreement, contract, commitment or arrangement which consents to or results in the restriction of the scope of the business of any member of the Wider NBF Group or any member of the Wider RGFC Group which, in any such case, is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group or the Wider RGFC Group taken as a whole, respectively; (xvi) entered into any agreement, contract, commitment or arrangement or passed any resolution or made any offer (which remains open for acceptance) to enter into any agreement, contract, commitment or arrangement or proposed or announced any intention to effect any of the transactions, matters or events referred to in this condition (g) which is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (xvii) (other than in the ordinary course of business) waived or compromised any claim which is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (h) save as revealed and only to the extent material in any case in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole: (i) no material adverse change or deterioration having occurred in the business, assets, financial or trading position or profits of any member of the Wider NBF Group; (ii) no claim being made, and no circumstances having arisen which might lend to a claim being made, under the insurance of any member of the Wider NBF Group which might have a material adverse effect on the Wider NBF Group; (iii) no litigation, arbitration proceedings, prosecution or other legal proceedings or investigation having been instituted, announced, implemented or threatened by or against or remaining outstanding against any member of the Wider NBF Group or to which any member of the Wider NBF Group is or may become a party (whether as plaintiff, defendant or otherwise); (iv) no contingent or other liability of any member of the Wider NBF Group having arisen or become apparent or increased which in any such case might reasonably be expected materially and adversely to affect any member of the Wider NBF Group; (v) (other than as a result of the Offer) no enquiry or investigation by, or complaint or reference to, any Third Party having been threatened, announced, implemented, instituted by or against or remaining outstanding against or in respect of any member of the Wider NBF Group which in any such case is material and adverse in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (i) save as revealed, RGFC not having discovered: (i) that any financial or business or other information publicly announced at any time by or on behalf of any member of the Wider NBF Group is misleading or contains a misrepresentation of any fact or omits to state a fact necessary to make the information contained therein not misleading (and which was not subsequently corrected before the date of publication of this document by disclosure either publicly or otherwise fairly in writing to RGFC) in each case to an extent that the effect of the inaccuracy or misrepresentation of fact or omission is to overstate the assets or understate the liabilities of the NBF Group to an extent which is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group as a whole; (ii) that any member of the Wider NBF Group and any partnership, company or other entity in which any member of the Wider NBF Group has a significant interest is subject to any liability (contingent or otherwise) which has not been publicly announced and which is material in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; and any information which affects the import of any information which has been revealed to an extent which is material and adverse in the context of the Wider NBF Group taken as a whole; (j) the passing at the EGM (or at any adjournment of that meeting) of the resolutions necessary to implement the Offer and the Proposals; and (k) Admission becoming effective. 2. Certain further terms of the Offer RGFC will reserve the right to waive, in whole or in part, all or any of the above conditions except conditions (a), (j) and (k). The Offer will lapse unless the conditions set out above are fulfilled or satisfied or (if capable of waiver) waived by RGFC or, where appropriate, have been determined by RGFC in its reasonable opinion to be or to remain satisfied no later than midnight on the twenty first day after the later of the First Closing Date and the date on which the Offer becomes or is declared unconditional as to acceptances, or such later date as RGFC may, with the consent of the Panel, decide. Each of conditions (a) to (k) shall be regarded as a separate condition and shall not be limited by reference to any other condition. RGFC shall be under no obligation to waive or treat as fulfilled any of conditions (b) to (i) (inclusive) by a date earlier than the date specified above for the fulfilment thereof notwithstanding that the other conditions of the Offer may at such earlier date have been fulfilled and that there are at such earlier date no circumstances indicating that any of such conditions may not be capable of fulfilment. In circumstances where the Offer lapses, the Offer will cease to be capable of further acceptances and persons accepting the Offer and RGFC will cease to be bound by acceptances delivered on or before the date on which the Offer so lapses. The NBF Shares which are the subject of the Offer will be acquired under the Offer fully paid and free from all liens, equities, charges, encumbrances, rights of pre-emption and any other third party rights or interests of any nature whatsoever and together with all rights now or hereafter attaching thereto, including the right to receive and retain in full all dividends and other distributions declared, made or paid after the date of this announcement other than the right to receive and retain the second interim dividend of 2p per NBF Share payable on 31 August 2005. If RGFC is required by the Panel to make an offer for NBF Shares under the provisions of Rule 9 of the Code, RGFC may make such alterations to the conditions, including to condition (a) as may be necessary to comply with the provisions of that Rule. The Offer will be on the terms and will be subject to the conditions which are set out in section 1 of this Appendix I and those terms and conditions which will be set out in the Offer Document and in the Form of Acceptance and such further terms as may be required to comply with the AIM Rules and the applicable rules and regulations of the Financial Services Authority, the London Stock Exchange and the provisions of the Code. The Offer and any acceptances thereunder will be governed by English law and will be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales. The Offer will not be made, directly or indirectly, in or into, or by use of mails of, or by any means or instrumentality of interstate or foreign commerce of, or any facilities of a national exchange of, the United States, nor is the Offer being made in or into Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan. Accordingly, copies of this announcement are not being, and must not be mailed or otherwise distributed or sent in or into the United States, Canada, Australia, Republic of Ireland or Japan. Appendix II 1. Bases and sources Unless otherwise stated: (a) financial information relating to RGFC has been extracted from the audited annual report and accounts of the RGFC Group for the sixteen months ended 31 December 2004; and (b) financial information relating to NBF has been extracted from the audited annual report and accounts of the NBF Group for the financial period ended 3 April 2005. The value of the existing issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of NBF is based upon (i) the 28,248,095 NBF Shares in issue on July 2005; and (iii) up to 2,544,838 NBF Shares in respect of options and warrants which will become exercisable at or below the Offer Price upon the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects. 2. Other information NBF had the following relevant securities in issue as at the close of business on 26 July 2005: NBF Shares: 28,248,095 Options over NBF Shares:* 799,976 Warrants over NBF Shares: * 1,744,862 RGFC had the following relevant securities in issue as at the close of business on 26 July 2005: RGFC Shares: 14,093,467 * Options/Warrants exercisable at or below the Offer Price upon the Offer becoming or being declared unconditional in all respects. Appendix III Definitions The following definitions apply throughout this announcement, unless the context requires otherwise: 'Accepting NBF NBF Shareholders who validly accept Shareholders' the Offer. 'Acquisition' the acquisition of all or part of the issued or to be issued ordinary share capital of NBF by RGFC by means of the Offer. 'Act' the Companies Act 1985, as amended. 'Admission' the Admission of the Enlarged Issued Share Capital to trading on AIM in accordance with the AIM Rules. 'AIM' a market operated by the London Stock Exchange. 'AIM Rules' the rules for AIM companies as published by the London Stock Exchange. 'Australia' the Commonwealth of Australia, its states, territories and possessions. 'Board' or 'Directors' the directors of the Company whose or 'RGFC Board' names are set out or 'RGFC Directors' on page 12 and 13 of this announcement. 'business day' a day (other than a Saturday or Sunday) on which banks are generally open for business in the City of London. 'Canada' Canada, its provinces and territories and all areas subject to its jurisdiction and any political sub-division thereof. 'City Code' or 'Code' the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers. 'Closing Price' the closing middle market quotation of a NBF Share or a RGFC Share (as the case may be), as derived from the London Stock Exchange's website. 'Company' or 'RGFC' The Real Good Food Company plc. 'dealing day' a day on which dealings in domestic securities may take place on, and with the authority of, the London Stock Exchange. 'Enlarged Group' the Company together with its subsidiary undertakings (following completion of the Offer). 'Enlarged Issued Share the Ordinary Shares in issue at Capital' Admission and following the Acquisition and Offer for Subscription. 'Eurofoods' Eurofoods Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 2060981. 'Existing Ordinary the 14,093,467 Ordinary Shares in Shares' issue at the date of this announcement 'Extraordinary General the Extraordinary General Meeting of Meeting' RGFC to be or 'EGM' convened shortly to vote on the Resolutions. 'First Closing Date' the date which is twenty one days after the posting of the Offer Document. 'Five Star' Five Star Fish Limited. 'Form of Acceptance' the form of acceptance, authority and election for use in connection with the Offer accompanying the Offer Document. 'FSA' the Financial Services Authority. 'FSMA' the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, as amended from time to time. 'Group'or 'RGFC Group' RGFC its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings. 'Japan' Japan, its cities, prefectures, territories and possessions and all areas subject to its jurisdiction and any political sub-division thereof. 'John East' John East & Partners Limited. 'London Stock Exchange' London Stock Exchange plc. 'Napier Brown & Company' Napier Brown & Company Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 1665672. 'NBF Board' or the directors of NBF. 'NBF Directors' 'NBF CSOP' the approved share option plan adopted by NBF the terms of which will be summarised in the Offer Document. 'NBF Group' NBF its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings. 'NBF Holdings' NBF Holdings Limited a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 200917. 'NBF Independent Jeremy Hamer, Christopher Thomas and Directors' Simon Barrell. 'NBF Option Holders' the holders of rights, options or warrants under the NBF Share Option Schemes. 'NBF Pension Fund' the closed final salary pension scheme operated by NBF and known as the NBF Retirement Benefits Plan. 'NBF Non-Approved Plan' the non-approved share option plan adopted by NBF the terms of which will be summarised in the Offer Document. 'NBF Shareholders' holders of NBF Shares. 'NBF Share Option the NBF Non-Approved Plan, the NBF Schemes' CSOP, the NBF SIP and the NBF Warrants. 'NBF Shares' the existing unconditionally allotted or issued and fully paid ordinary shares of 50p each in the capital of NBF and any further shares which are issued or unconditionally allotted and fully paid (or credited as fully paid) while the Offer remains open for acceptance (or such earlier date, not being earlier than the date on which the Offer becomes unconditional as to acceptances or, if later, the First Closing Date, as RGFC may, subject to the City Code, decide), including NBF Shares which are unconditionally allotted or issued or granted or subscribed for upon the exercise of any options granted under the NBF Share Option Schemes. 'NBF SIP' the approved share incentive plan adopted by NBF the terms of which will be summarised in the Offer Document. 'NBF Warrants' the Warrants entitling the registered holder to subscribe for NBF Shares, the terms of which will be summarised in the Offer Document. 'NB. Ingredients' NB. Ingredients Limited, a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 3180749. 'Numis' Numis Securities Limited 'Offer' the recommended all share offer to be made by Numis Securities Limited on behalf of RGFC to acquire all of the NBF Shares on the terms and subject to conditions to be set out in the Offer Document and in the Form of Acceptance and, where the context requires, any subsequent revision, variation, extension or renewal thereof. 'Offer Document' the document to be despatched to NBF Shareholders (other than certain Overseas Shareholders) and (for information purposes only) to RGFC Shareholders and NBF Option Holders, setting out the full terms and conditions of the Offer and, where appropriate, any other document(s) containing terms and conditions of the Offer constituting the full terms and conditions of the Offer. 'Offer for Subscription' the conditional offer for subscription for the Subscription Shares each at the Subscription Price. 'Offer Period' the period commencing on 8 March, 2005 (the date upon which NBF announced it was in discussions concerning a possible offer), and ending on the date which is the latest of (i) the First Closing Date; (ii) the Wholly Unconditional Date; and (iii) the date on which the Offer lapses or is withdrawn. 'Offer Shares' or 'New the new Ordinary Shares of 2p each RGFC shares' in the capital of RGFC to be issued as consideration under the Offer. 'Ordinary Shares' or ordinary shares of 2 pence each in 'RGFC Shares' the capital of the Company. 'Overseas Shareholders' NBF Shareholders whose registered addresses are outside the UK or who are citizens or residents of countries other than the UK. 'Panel' The Panel on Takeovers and Mergers. 'Proposals' the Offer, the Admission and the Offer for Subscription. 'Proposed Directors' Patrick Ridgwell and Christopher Thomas. 'Prospectus' the document comprising the Prospectus relating to the Enlarged Issued Share Capital for which application for Admission will be made, and which will be dispatched to RGFC Shareholders shortly. 'Renshaw Scott' the acquired trade and certain assets of Renshaw Scott Limited. 'Republic of Ireland' Republic of Ireland, its territories and possessions. 'Resolutions' the resolutions to be proposed at the EGM relating inter alia to the approval by RGFC Shareholders of the Offer. 'RGFC Shareholders' holders of RGFC Shares. or 'Shareholders' 'RIS' or any of the services approved by the 'Regulatory Information London Stock Exchange and Service' included in the list maintained on the London Stock Exchange's website. 'NBF' Napier Brown Foods Plc, a company incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 4824736. 'significant interest' a direct or indirect interest in 20 per cent. or more of the total voting rights conferred by the equity capital of an undertaking. 'Subscription Price' 121.95 pence per Subscription Share 'Subscription Shares' up to 4,162,558 RGFC Shares proposed to be issued fully paid in connection with the Offer for Subscription. 'subsidiary' or having the meanings given to them by 'subsidiary the Act. undertaking' 'UK Listing Authority' the FSA, acting in its capacity as a competent authority for the purposes of Part VI of the FSMA. 'Unconditional date' the date on which the Offer becomes or is declared unconditional as to acceptances. 'United Kingdom' or 'UK' the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. 'United States' or 'USA' the United States of America, its territories and possessions and all other areas subject to its jurisdiction, any state of the United States of America and the District of Columbia. 'Wholly Unconditional the date on which the Offer becomes Date' or is declared unconditional in all respects. 'Wider RGFC Group' RGFC Group, its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings, associated undertakings and any other undertakings, in which RGFC Group and/or such undertakings (aggregating their interests), have a significant interest 'Wider NBF Group' NBF Group, its subsidiaries and its subsidiary undertakings, associated undertakings and any other undertakings, in which NBF Group and /or such undertakings (aggregating their interests), have a significant interest This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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