Newsuk businesscadburyGatwick Airport

5 Big British Brands You May Not Know Have American Owners

5 Big British Brands You May Not Know Are In American Hands
Asa Bennett
|
Open Image Modal
PromesaArtStudio via Getty Images

Britain's biggest pharmacy chain Boots is just the latest brand to fall into foreign hands as US drug store giant Walgreens confirmed its intention to buy up the part of the business it does not already own in a total takeover.

The deal, which is expected to be worth around £5 billion, shows that foreign appetite for UK firms is not dimming. Recent figures show that more than half of shares in listed UK firms are now owned by foreign investors.

See also: 10 British Businesses You Don't Realise Are Backed By China (PICTURES)

From British breakfast spreads to a major London airports, HuffPost UK presents five British brands that are already in American hands.

5 British Brands Owned By US Firms
Gatwick Airport(01 of05)
Open Image Modal
The London airport is controlled by US private equity firm Global Infrastructure Partners, having acquired it in 2009. (credit:Anthony Devlin/PA Wire)
Asda (02 of05)
Open Image Modal
The supermarket giant was bought by the American colossus Wal-Mart in 1999 for £6.7billion. (credit:Sean Dempsey/PA Wire)
Cadbury(03 of05)
Open Image Modal
The UK chocolatier was controversially taken over by the US food giant Kraft in 2010 for £11.9 billion.
Tate & Lyle Sugar (04 of05)
Open Image Modal
Tate & Lyle, which formed in 1921 from a merger of two rival sugar refiners, sold its sugar business to American Sugar Refining for £211 million in 2010. (credit:Ian Nicholson/PA Archive)
Gale's Honey(05 of05)
Open Image Modal
Gale's Honey, along with other brands like Sun-Pat peanut butter and Hartley's jam, was snapped up by American firm Hain Celestial for £200million in 2012 after Premier Foods decided to sell their spreads and jellies. (credit:Gareth Fuller/PA Archive)
Suggest a correction
|
Submit a tip