Commercial Catering Equipment Business Revived

A commercial catering equipment business based in Pudsey is being revived following the acquisition of its business and assets from Administration, which has resulted in the re-employment of close to half of its previous 50-strong workforce.

Hopkins Catering Equipment will now be run by Hopkins Frying Ranges Limited in a deal which was secured by its Administrators James Sleight and Oliver Collinge of PKF Geoffrey Martin & Co. Hopkins Frying Rages is run by Ferhat Akkaya, a fast-food entrepreneur and former customer of Hopkins, and Matthew Hopkins, a member of the Hopkins family which founded the original business.

Commenting on the deal, Administrator Oliver Collinge said:

“Hopkins is a historic Yorkshire business with first-class design and fabrication capabilities. The business was mothballed in mid-November as its cash position became untenable and since then we have been seeking a purchaser for this highly-respected brand and its assets. This is a particularly positive outcome as it provides for many of the Company’s workforce to be re-employed and we wish the new business every success in the future.”

Mr Akkaya of RGM said:

“We were delighted to conclude this deal and rescue a much-admired business and we look forward to continuing to serve Hopkins customers for many years to come. We have taken on around 20 of the business’s former employees and are still recruiting, with a particular interest in highly skilled sheet metal workers and fabricators.”