Shaken Udder’s recent acquisition by Idilia marks a significant development in the food manufacturing industry. With this move, Shaken Udder joins Idilia’s portfolio, which already includes three prominent brands: ColaCao, a widely recognized soluble cocoa product in Spain; Nocilla, known for its cocoa and hazelnut spread; and Paladin, a popular hot cocoa mix.
Notably, this transition signals the departure of Shaken Udder’s founders, Jodie and Andy Howie. In this new chapter, managing director Rob Reames will step up as CEO. Additionally, David Garman will resign as chair, while Xavi Pons, the CEO of Idilia, will join the board. Interestingly, this acquisition also entails Lloyds Development Capital (LDC) exiting the business.
Importantly, Shaken Udder will continue to operate as an independent unit, retaining its loyal team and preserving its brand identity.
Founded in 2004 and headquartered in Essex, the UK-based milkshake brand identified a gap in the market for premium dairy-based drinks, especially within the festival scene.
Shaken Udder specializes in high-quality milkshakes crafted from fresh milk and authentic ingredients. The brand has successfully capitalized on the growing consumer demand for clean labels, achieving a remarkable retail sales value (RSV) of £45 million. Moreover, it is prominently stocked in major retailers, including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Asda, as well as convenience outlets.
Over the past four years, Shaken Udder has demonstrated robust growth, with revenues soaring by 91%. The brand has achieved a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 23.5%, significantly outpacing market trends, and expanded its retailer distribution points by 14,500.
The brand currently boasts a diverse range of seven delicious flavors, including Chocolush, Salted Caramel, Vanillalicious, and Top Banana.
Through this acquisition, Shaken Udder aims to tap into new consumer segments and channels while speeding up its product innovation pipeline.
“This is a major milestone in Shaken Udder’s evolution, as we aim to build our brand awareness, accelerate product innovation, and bring the delicious taste of Shaken Udder to more people,” stated Reames.
“From the first meeting, it was clear that Idilia and Shaken Udder shared the same vision – like us, they are a family-owned business with a purpose to provide meaningful moments of pleasure. This commitment will not change, nor the team behind it: with Idilia’s support, we hope to accelerate Shaken Udder’s growth whilst shaking up the dairy category.”
Pons remarked: “Shaken Udder is a perfect fit with Idilia’s strategic approach and helps us take our corporate purpose even further: to create those small yet meaningful moments of pleasure and positive emotions that contribute to people’s emotional well-being. We are very pleased to welcome Shaken Udder into the Idilia ecosystem and look forward to helping it grow and add real value to the milkshake segment.”
