CGA buys Peter Martin’s Peach Factory: CGA Strategy has acquired Peach Factory, the information and research company founded by Peter and Christine Martin. CGA Peach, a specialist retailer focused division of CGA Strategy, will bring together CGA’s market leading suite of on trade tracker and consultancy services with Peach’s insight and data services, Coffer Peach Business Tracker and Peach BrandTrack. Scott Elliott and Peter Martin will spearhead the enlarged retailer insight division with a focus on consumer, volumetric and outlet trackers and related analytical services. Peach founders Peter and Christine Martin, who will be staying with the business. Peter said: “This is an exciting time for the Peach brand. Having the support, resources and expertise of the CGA team on board will allow Peach to strengthen and develop its presence further in the eating and drinking out sector in providing high quality insight and research.” Jon Collins, chief executive of CGA, said: “We are delighted to have Peach in the portfolio and excited to be working with Peter and Christine to uncover new opportunities by building on their reputation alongside our own well established operations. Our combined consumer metrics, market data and analytical capabilities will, for the first time, give our clients the ability to easily close the loop between strategy development and ongoing performance benchmarking around relevant metrics and brand-related success factors.” Both Peach Factory and CGA Strategy already work with a string of leading operating companies in the restaurant, pub, fast food and coffee markets. Combining their knowledge and capabilities will allow CGA Peach to work across the out of home sector – providing data and insight unparalleled in its reach and granularity. The combined portfolio will include: Coffer Peach Business Tracker, already the sector’s recognised sales barometer; Peach BrandTrack consumer survey providing detailed analysis of retail brands; Peach Business Leaders Survey, the annual report tracking boardroom sentiment, operational focus and growth opportunities among 120 retail CEOs; CGA Trading Index, the leading retailer analytics tool; CGA Outlet Index, the only continuously updated on trade universe database; and CGA Brand Index, the only on trade volume tracker. CGA Peach will continue to run the portfolio of Peach Network events and Peach Report media products. The next major Peach event will be the Peach 2020 conference and Hero & Icon awards at the British Film Museum on 21 November.
Propel Opinion: This is the second time that Peter and Christine Martin have sold a sector information services company in just over a decade. The couple sold M&C Report to William Reed Business Media around a decade ago for a reputed £1m – its portfolio of events included Retailer’s Retailer of the Year. Peter and Christine were tied to WRBM for a period after the sale but then founded Peach Factory in 2004. The sale of Peach Factory now to CGA is testament to the couple’s unique ability to create value by producing high quality research and networking events. Among their key products is the Coffer Peach Tracker, which is the key barometer of managed pub and restaurant sales in the UK. This and Peach’s brand-tracking research will add to CGA’s portfolio of research and insights products. It is understood that the Martins are committed to developing Peach Factory under its new ownership for at least five years. Former Wagamama chief executive Ian Neill has stepped down as a director of Peach Factory in the wake of the sale to CGA, which is based in Stockport. CGA chief executive Jon Collins and major shareholder Damian Walsh have become directors of Peach Factory.
