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Retail & Consumer

Malcolm Walker takes back control of Iceland in buyout of partners

Sir Malcolm teamed up with with chief executive Tarsem Dhaliwal to snap up Brait's shares in the company

Malcolm Walker, Iceland Foods(Image: Iceland)

Food retailer Iceland is back in British hands after founder Malcolm Walker bought out his South African partners.

Mr Walker teamed up with chief executive Tarsem Dhaliwal to snap up Brait's shares in the company.

The duo will pay £115 million for the 63% stake, bringing Deeside based Iceland totally under their control.

"It is particularly satisfying to turn this new page in Iceland's history just before the 50th anniversary of the opening of our first shop on November 18 1970," Mr Walker said.

"Having started the business in partnership with a friend, I am delighted to have come full circle and own what are now more than 1,000 stores with another good friend in 2020."

It takes the frozen food supermarket back into British hands eight years after the South African firm first bought into the company.

Iceland Foods Head Office on Deeside Industrial Estate. Photo by Ian Cooper(Image: Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)

The move had been on the cards since November last year, when Brait signalled a new strategy that led to the eventual sale.

But Mr Walker and Mr Dhaliwal have long been keen to buy their partner's stake.