March 2017
BVG Group
Thompson & Morgan Group Holdings
Adviser to BVG Group on their acquisition of Thompson & Morgan Group Holdings
£undisclosed
Grant Thornton team
Retail
Buy side
Corporate finance
Flag of the United Kingdom

We are delighted to have advised BVG Group Limited on their acquisition of Thompson & Morgan.

BVG Group (BVG) is a true multichannel retailer selling via online, B2B distribution, catalogues, off page, newspaper reader offers, marketplace and digital advertising. Each year the group distributes over 20 million catalogues and places over 3,700 pages in national newspapers and its online activities result in over 30 million visits to the websites a year. Heavy investment in the company's infrastructure, bespoke technology and a team of over 750 highly motivated, dedicated and skilled staff, have all contributed to its continued success. 

BVG has always also sought to supplement organic growth via complementary acquisitions and Thompson & Morgan (T&M), the leading horticultural brand in the UK, selling young plants, bulbs, nursery stock plants, flower and vegetable seeds, fruit, potatoes and garden accessories, offered the opportunity to continue this trend. 

After identifying this business as an acquisition target, BVG sought our assistance, further to successfully working together in 2015 on their minority stake sale to BGF and a number of other acquisitions over the last 10 years. Our team worked closely with management and the Vendors to unlock a deal that was attractive to all parties. 

The team was successfully able manage the relationship between the buy and sell side to ensure a successful outcome. We collectively provided lead advisory, SPA advisory and transaction advisory services, enabling a seamless and joined up process for all parties and securing a highly attractive acquisition for BVG. We leveraged their sector experience and relationships to quickly identify the key issues for BVG and were able to skilfully connect the respective businesses. 

Testimonial
“I have worked with Trefor and the Grant Thornton team over a number of years and on a number of different transactions and value the work they have done for me and my business. In this instance they were able to use their relationships and knowledge to unlock a challenging deal and help deliver a great result for all stakeholders.”
Iain Burgess CEO, BVG Group Limited