Fox’s Biscuits business sold to Italian chocolate giant Ferrero in £246m deal.

The Italian confectioner has agreed to buy Fox’s Biscuits from supermarket chicken supplier 2 Sisters Food Group, including the biscuit factories in Batley, West Yorkshire, and Kirkham in Lancashire.

Fox’s Biscuits is one of Britain’s best-known biscuit brands, making household names such as Rocky Bars, Party Rings, Crunch Creams, Crinkle Creams, Chocolatey and Viennese, as well as making own-label biscuits for major retailers.

Its history dates back to 1853 and the business has annual sales of around £157m.

The deal, set to be completed within months, marks Ferrero’s second biscuit takeover in the past year, coming after it bought Royal Dansk firm Kelsen last September.

Ferrero said it wanted to “increase its relevance in the rich and fine biscuits category”, having also acquired Biscuits Delacre in 2016.

Ranjit Singh Boparan, president of 2 Sisters owner Boparan Holdings, said: “Fox’s Biscuits has always been an attractive brand and as one of only two major independent biscuit makers in the UK it is a prized asset in this market.”

He said Fox’s would only be sold to the “right new home”.