Catering merger creates £60m group

Host Management and Catermasters have announced that they are to merge to create a company called HCM Group in a deal which gives the new business a turnover in excess of £60m, more than 240 operations, and a combined team of more than 1500 employees.

Catermasters was established by Nigel Johnson and Richard Moody in 1989 and the company is now a national caterer, operating across 120 sites and with a team of over 550. Host Management was established in 2004 and is now headed up by Chief Executive Bill Toner.  Host also has 120 operations across the UK and Ireland and a team of 1000.   

The new company will be headed up by Bill Toner as Chief Executive Officer with Nigel Johnson taking the role of Deputy CEO. Both leaders are strong characters but according to Johnson, Bill Toner was the natural choice for CEO: “Bill has a huge amount of experience of growing catering companies to a significant size and therefore our newly merged company will use his skills to the full. Given the size of our combined business, we now have the very exciting prospect to create focused B&I, Education, Leisure and Healthcare divisions, which will be the team’s top priority in the coming months and Bill and I will be working closely on capitalising on these new opportunities.”

Catermasters other founder, Richard Moody, has been less involved in the business over recent years and as a result of the merger has sold his remaining shares to HCM Group, but he will continue to be involved as a consultant. Meanwhile, Catermasters Joint Managing Director, Tony Carr, will continue to manage that business.

Toner added: “This is a very exciting move for both Host and Catermasters and strategically and operationally, this merger is an excellent fit. We are similar sized, high quality caterers and we share the same client-focussed culture and business ethos. This merger will help us grow much more quickly and we’re all very excited by the future possibilities in our chosen segments.”
Catering merger creates £60m group

Host Management and Catermasters have announced that they are to merge to create a company called HCM Group in a deal which gives the new business a turnover in excess of £60m, more than 240 operations, and a combined team of more than 1500 employees.

Catermasters was established by Nigel Johnson and Richard Moody in 1989 and the company is now a national caterer, operating across 120 sites and with a team of over 550. Host Management was established in 2004 and is now headed up by Chief Executive Bill Toner.  Host also has 120 operations across the UK and Ireland and a team of 1000.   

The new company will be headed up by Bill Toner as Chief Executive Officer with Nigel Johnson taking the role of Deputy CEO. Both leaders are strong characters but according to Johnson, Bill Toner was the natural choice for CEO: “Bill has a huge amount of experience of growing catering companies to a significant size and therefore our newly merged company will use his skills to the full. Given the size of our combined business, we now have the very exciting prospect to create focused B&I, Education, Leisure and Healthcare divisions, which will be the team’s top priority in the coming months and Bill and I will be working closely on capitalising on these new opportunities.”

Catermasters other founder, Richard Moody, has been less involved in the business over recent years and as a result of the merger has sold his remaining shares to HCM Group, but he will continue to be involved as a consultant. Meanwhile, Catermasters Joint Managing Director, Tony Carr, will continue to manage that business.

Toner added: “This is a very exciting move for both Host and Catermasters and strategically and operationally, this merger is an excellent fit. We are similar sized, high quality caterers and we share the same client-focussed culture and business ethos. This merger will help us grow much more quickly and we’re all very excited by the future possibilities in our chosen segments.”