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Major Aberdeen business deal in doubt as competition watchdog steps in

A freeze order was served after US food giant Aramark acquired Westhill-headquartered catering firm Entier.

Peter Bruce, chief executive of award-winning Entier. Image Kami Thomson/DC Thomson
Peter Bruce, chief executive of award-winning Entier. Image Kami Thomson/DC Thomson

A major Aberdeen business deal is now in jeopardy as Britain’s competition watchdog steps in to investigate the sale of Westhill-headquartered Entier.

The firm, which is Scotland’s largest independent caterer, was acquired by multi-billion-pound US firm Aramark for an undisclosed sum in February.

Now the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched an initial enforcement order on both the Aramark group and Entier.

This order prevents the companies from integrating or transferring ownership until further review.

The CMA will now investigate whether the merger could lead to a “substantial lessening of competition” in the sector.

If the merger is deemed likely to harm competition, the CMA has the power to block the deal or impose remedies to address those concerns.

Entier Scotland’s largest independent caterer

Founded in 2008 by Fraserburgh chef Peter Bruce, Entier has grown to operate internationally, employing people across the UK, as well as in Australia, Trinidad, Canada, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.

In 2023, the company reported a turnover of £76.8 million, with a pre-tax profit of £2m. It employs around 700 staff.

Aramark, the US food service giant, recorded a turnover of £14 billion in 2024.

The competition watchdog will investigate Aramark’s acquisition of Scottish rival Entier. Pictured are Peter Bruce of Entier (left) and Mike Sibson from Business Growth Fund. Image: Simon Price/Firstpix Photography

Peter Bruce, originally from St Combs, began his career as a 15-year-old kitchen worker at the Tufted Duck hotel.

After 29 years as a chef—including 11 years managing the Scotland and north-east operations for UK catering giant Compass—he launched Entier.

Seeing a gap in the market for a catering company focused on quality, he began by serving the oil and gas industry, both offshore and onshore.

Competition watchdog warning to Entier

According to Companies House documents, Aramark Limited now holds a majority stake in Entier, owning more than 75% of the company.

Aramark, founded in the 1930s as a vending machine company, has grown into a global food services giant.

By the 1960s, it was operating in 19 states with revenues of £29m.

It launched its offshore division in 1978 and entered the UK North Sea market in 2013, winning a £33 million ($41 million) deal to cater offshore facilities for French company Total, now known as TotalEnergies.

The CMA’s freeze order calls for Entier to be maintained as a going concern and warns against sharing business secrets or intellectual property between Entier and Aramark during its investigation.

The competition watchdog also calls for no significant changes to be made to the range and quality of goods and services supplied in the UK by Entier.

Aramark’s vice president of corporate communications, Chris Collom said the firm will cooperate fully with the Competition and Markets Authority on the inquiry.

He added: “This matter is related to a small tuck in acquisition pertaining to our UK-based offshore business.”

Entier has also been contacted for comment.

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