Moore Kingston Smith advises LDC on investment in Bespoke Kitchen Foods

Moore Kingston Smith Corporate Finance has advised LDC on its investment in Bespoke Kitchen Foods (Bespoke), a leading provider of innovative vegetarian and vegan products for the pub and casual dining market, helping the business to secure a debt facility from OakNorth.

LDC, the leading private equity investor and part of Lloyds Banking Group, is backing the firm’s management team, led by CEO Sam Tidball. It will support the business’s ambitious organic and acquisitive growth strategy, which is underpinned by expansion into new segments, including high street casual dining chains.

Based in Coalville, Leicestershire, Bespoke supplies premium products to the UK’s leading branded pub and restaurant chains and food wholesalers supplying the foodservice channels. Its products are developed specifically to meet customer requirements and include sweet and savoury baked and formed products.

Founded in 2008, Bespoke has grown rapidly, with revenue increasing 18% on average over the last three years. In January 2025, it opened a new production facility near its headquarters to further increase its manufacturing capacity, raising its headcount to over 100.

This growth has been supported by the rising popularity of vegetarian and vegan categories and more health-conscious dining. According to market research provider IMARC Group, the UK’s vegan and vegetarian food market is growing at over 11% and is expected to reach c. £1 billion in size by 2033.

LDC has a strong track record of backing ambitious management teams, operating across multiple sectors. In the last decade, the firm has invested £403m into 21 consumer businesses, with a combined enterprise value of £900m. It has made successful investments in brands and growing businesses across sub-sectors including food and drink, travel and leisure, and niche consumer products.

As part of the transaction, OakNorth , the digital bank for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs, has provided a bespoke funding package to Bespoke. Launched in September 2015, OakNorth is a digital bank focused on serving and empowering the lower mid-market (businesses with £1m-£100m in turnover), that are seeking to scale but are routinely underserved or overlooked by traditional banks.

Moore Kingston Smith’s Corporate Finance team, led by Guy Taylor, Partner, and Dylan Sweeney, Supervisor, provided debt advisory services throughout the transaction.

Simon Peacock, Investment Director at LDC, commented: “We’ve been investing in market-leading food and drink businesses for decades, and Bespoke is a fantastic example of the innovation and ambition that characterise the sector. Sam and the team are well positioned to take advantage of rising demand for their products among an increasingly health-conscious customer base, as well as to make strategic acquisitions in a highly fragmented market. We’re looking forward to using our experience to support them as they pursue their goals over the next few years.”

Guy Taylor, Corporate Finance Partner at Moore Kingston Smith, concluded: “It’s been a pleasure working with LDC once again and we look forward to seeing Bespoke thrive with their support.”