SANDWICH supplier Brambles Foods expects turnover to nearly double following the acquisition of a southern competitor.

The Middlesbrough company predicts turnover will increase to about £23m, compared to £12.5m last year, after buying London sandwich supplier Harry Mason UK Limited for an undisclosed sum.

Brambles is the largest supplier of sandwiches and salads to the NHS in England and Wales, as well as supplying the airline industry and corporate sectors.

Chief executive Howard Farquhar said that buying Harry Mason was the latest step to realising the company's growth plans and would double the group's production capacity.

He also said that Brambles was planning to acquire more sites out side the region with the aim of becoming the UK's leading supplier of sandwiches to services.

He said: "We have bought out one of our competitors, Harry Mason UK Limited, which was the main supplier in the London area to clients similar to those we have in the health, leisure and education sectors.

"We have bought about £4m of their business, renamed the firm Brambles London, and have retained all their customers.

"The deal has provided Brambles Foods with the capacity to provide an even better service to customers.

"Brambles is one of the few sandwich manufacturers that has the capability to distribute on a national basis.

"We can now grow our presence in the South through our London site, while Brambles in Middlesbrough can concentrate on continuing to grow its business base in the North.

"Last year, we had a turnover of about £12.5m.

"With organic growth, we expect that to increase to £16m and, with the acquisition, to about £23m."

Brambles employs about 260 staff at its site on Middlesbrough's Riverside Business Park, and 150 staff at the London site.

That is expected to rise to 200.

Mr Farquhar said: "I am sure that there will be other acquisitions in the future if the right site comes along.

"We are always looking."