Birch & Waite
Fresh chilled sauces, dressings and desserts for the professional kitchen
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At a glance
The business
Birch & Waite creates premium mayonnaise, dressings, relishes, sauces and desserts in collaboration with its team of chefs in Sydney, providing convenient, premium solutions for chefs and home cooks without compromising on quality. Products are crafted in small batches, from authentic recipes and with the finest fresh Australian ingredients, to taste scratch made.
Birch & Waite is the market leader in fresh condiments for professional chefs and home cooks, with over 30 years of constant innovation. Given labour shortages in professional kitchens and the continued evolution of tastes for home cooks, the market continues to seek premium, convenience-led products.
Why Fortitude partnered.
The same frame guides every investment: good people, building a good business, in a good market. For Birch & Waite, that means:
01 Good people
A management team with industry leading experience, track records, and a commitment to continued innovation in the business.
02 Good business
The clear market leader in fresh condiments made from the freshest Australian ingredients, with market leading breadth of coverage across professional chefs, industrial kitchens and home cooks, and depth of product range.
03 Good markets
Consumers continue to seek fresh condiments for both flavour and convenience, and Birch & Waite is a market leader in innovation across both.
How we work together.
Fortitude partnered with chief executive Paul O’Brien to invest in Birch & Waite and continue the legacy built by its founders. Having partially realised the investment in 2024 and brought Quadrant Private Equity on as a partner, Fortitude is now a minority shareholder alongside Quadrant.
Capital
The capital to invest in the business at the outset, and capital and support for several acquisitions since, including EP Foods in 2023.
People & governance
Integrating Paul O’Brien as chief executive, working alongside industry leading non-executive directors, and building out the management team.
Growth & M&A
Introductions and relationships, including acquisitions, that have contributed to the growth of the business.
Could this be your next chapter?
If you are a founder weighing up a partner, see what the journey looks like, or start a conversation, in confidence and with no obligation.