Regal Food Products Group has snapped up soft-drinks brand Suncrest from fellow UK business KTC Edibles.

Yorkshire-based Regal Foods markets a range of “world food” products and Suncrest’s line-up includes flavours like mango, lychee and guava.

The Suncrest range, which takes in still and carbonated drinks, also includes the South Asian beverage lassi.

To coincide with the acquisition, a new bottled variant will go on sale at UK grocer Asda in the run-up to the Diwali festival next month.

“Suncrest is a firm household name with the relaunch of a new bottle variant in Asda as part of the Regal acquisition and Diwali campaign,” a Regal Foods spokesperson said.

“The brand supplies both wholesale and major retail markets. It is our strategy to turn Suncrest into a global brand using existing channels within the international world food market.”

The deal, struck for an undisclosed sum, covers brand and trademark assets. No staff are joining Regal Foods.

In recent years, Regal Foods’ M&A strategy has been focused on its food business. In 2024, the company bought Love Cheesecakes and Love Handmade Cakes, deals that followed the 2022 acquisition of Just Desserts Yorkshire.

The company’s product range predominantly features food, although it does own the Jaam-e-Mashriq soft-drinks brand, which is sold in South East Asia.

In the 12 months to 31 May 2024, Regal Foods generated turnover of £39.1m ($52.7m), up 22.7% on a year earlier.

The company’s operating profit reached £2.2m, versus £1.1m in the previous 12 months.

Profit for the period more than doubled from £655,679 to £1.6m.