Cash-and-carry group Booker is to return to the stock market through a reverse takeover of the convenience store wholesaler Blueheath Holdings. Independent. Daily Telegraph, The Times
The company, which was taken private by Icelandic retail investment group Baugur two years ago when it bought Big Food Group, is expected to list with a market value of around £350m when trading starts on AIM on 4 June.
Booker trades from 172 branches. It has three regional distribution centres and a national distribution centre in Wellingborough. It sells more than £3bn worth of goods and employs 8,341 staff.
Blueheath had sales of £132m in the year to March 2006.
It will trade as Booker Group and will be headed by Booker chief executive Charles Wilson, a former right-hand man to Marks & Spencer's Stuart Rose.