ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC
Associated British Foods plc is a public limited company registered in England and Wales under company number 00293262, incorporated on 20 October 1934. It was originally registered as George Weston Holdings plc and changed to its current name on 29 July 1994. Companies House records the company’s status as active, its registered office at Weston Centre, 10 Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 4QY, and its principal classification as "Activities of head offices" (SIC 70100).
Associated British Foods plc is the ultimate holding company of a diversified international group operating through five reporting segments: Grocery, Sugar, Agriculture, Ingredients and Retail. The Grocery segment produces branded food and drink, including sweeteners, cereals, bread, herbs and spices, vegetable oils and hot beverages. The Sugar segment processes and markets sugar beet and sugar cane. The Agriculture segment produces and distributes animal feed. The Ingredients segment manufactures bakers’ yeast, enzymes, lipids and bakery ingredients. The Retail segment operates value-fashion stores under the Primark and Penneys names.
The group is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker ABF and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
For the 52 weeks ended 13 September 2025, the group reported consolidated revenue of £19.5 billion, down 1% at constant currency, and consolidated adjusted operating profit of £1,734 million, down 12% at constant currency, reflecting a sharp reduction in Sugar segment profitability. Segment adjusted operating profit for the year included Retail (Primark) £1,126 million, up 2%; Grocery £478 million, down 4%; and Ingredients £257 million, up 16%, while Sugar profit was close to breakeven after a charge relating to the closure of the Vivergo bioethanol plant. The group employed approximately 138,000 people across 56 countries during the year and declared a total dividend of 63.0 pence per share, in line with the prior year. These figures are consolidated group results and are not limited to the standalone legal entity.
During the 2025 financial year and into 2026, the group closed its Vivergo Fuels bioethanol plant at Saltend, restructured its Spanish sugar-beet processing from three factories to one, invested approximately £1.2 billion in capital projects, opened 23 new Primark stores, and agreed to acquire Hovis Group to expand its UK bakery operations. On 5 March 2026, the group announced a leadership change in its Retail business, confirming Eoin Tonge as Chief Executive of Primark and appointing Joana Edwards as Group Chief Financial Officer.
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Shareholders
1
Shareholders of Associated British Foods plc
As a UK-listed public company, Associated British Foods plc does not maintain a complete public shareholder register. Disclosure instead follows the FCA’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, under which investors must notify the company when their holding crosses set voting-rights thresholds. The most recent notification from the largest known holder, Wittington Investments Limited, showed a total interest of 59.075266% of voting rights as at 2 January 2026, comprising 55.622208% held directly and 2.468857% held indirectly through its controlled undertaking, Howard Investments Limited. Wittington Investments Limited is a private UK investment holding company connected to the Weston family. A separate notification effective 1 July 2026 disclosed that Artisan Partners Limited Partnership, an investment manager, held 5.01% of voting rights. Holdings below the applicable notification threshold (generally 3% and above for UK issuers) are not separately disclosed. The company’s own profile data separately records a 1.77% holding for an index-tracking fund (iShares Trust – iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF), consistent with the presence of institutional holders below the major-holder notification thresholds.
Ultimate beneficial ownership
Wittington Investments Limited’s own persons-with-significant-control filing at Companies House (company number 00366054) records significant control as held jointly by a group of individuals connected to the Weston family, each recorded in the "75% or more of shares and voting rights" band rather than as separate individual percentages. Because the filing discloses only a joint threshold band, and Wittington Investments Limited’s holding in Associated British Foods plc is a further step in the ownership chain, no single individual’s calculated effective percentage ownership of Associated British Foods plc can be reliably derived from the available filings. No natural-person ultimate beneficial owner with a specific calculated effective interest in Associated British Foods plc is presented here.
Data availability
Shareholder information for Associated British Foods plc is major shareholders only: the publicly available data reflects statutory notifiable-interest disclosures above regulatory thresholds, not a complete shareholder register. The information above is current as at the dates of the individual notifications cited.
Sources
- Companies House, Wittington Investments Limited filing history and PSC register (company no. 00366054) – find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk – retrieved 15 September 2026
- Investing.com, "Wittington Investments increases stake in Associated British Foods," reporting a notification effective 2 January 2026 – retrieved 15 September 2026
- TradingView/Reuters regulatory news, "REG – Assoc.British Foods – Holding(s) in Company" (Artisan Partners Limited Partnership notification), effective 1 July 2026 – retrieved 15 September 2026
| Shareholder | Type | Holding | Source Document |
|---|---|---|---|
| iShares Trust-iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF | 1.8% | Companies House |
Officers
5
Directors and officers of Associated British Foods plc
Companies House records eleven active officers for Associated British Foods plc as at 15 September 2026: ten directors and one company secretary. The board comprises Michael McLintock (Chairman, director since 1 November 2017), George Garfield Weston (Chief Executive, director since 19 April 1999), Joana Edwards (Group Chief Financial Officer, appointed 5 March 2026), Eoin Tonge (director since 6 February 2023, now Chief Executive of the group’s Primark retail business), Dame Heather Rabbatts (Senior Independent Director, appointed 1 March 2021), and non-executive directors Emma Adamo, Graham Allan, Kumsal Bayazit Besson, Anne Murphy and Loraine Woodhouse. Paul Lister has served as company secretary since 3 January 2001. Companies House also lists around thirty former officers, with appointments and resignations recorded from the 1990s onward, reflecting the company’s long history as a listed holding company. Nationality, where officially disclosed, and country of residence are recorded separately for each active officer in the Companies House record.
Recent officer changes
- Appointment: Joana Edwards appointed director and Group Chief Financial Officer, effective 5 March 2026 (Companies House; ABF company announcement).
- Role change: Eoin Tonge, a serving director since February 2023, was confirmed as Chief Executive of the group’s Primark business with immediate effect on 5 March 2026, alongside Joana Edwards’s CFO appointment (ABF company announcement, 5 March 2026).
- Resignation: Richard Reid resigned as a director effective 30 April 2025 (Companies House).
Data availability
Officer information for Associated British Foods plc is full: UK company law requires disclosure of current and former directors and secretaries, including appointment and resignation dates, at Companies House. Nationality is officially disclosed in the Companies House record for each active officer; country of residence is recorded separately and should not be treated as evidence of nationality. Occupation is not separately itemised for all officers in the register.
Sources
- Companies House, Associated British Foods plc officers filing (company no. 00293262) – find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk – retrieved 15 September 2026
- ABF plc, "Appointment of Primark Chief Executive," abf.co.uk/media/news/2026 – retrieved 15 September 2026
- Food Manufacture, "Associated British Foods has appointed Joana Edwards as group chief financial officer," 6 March 2026 – retrieved 15 September 2026
Group Structure
Group structure of Associated British Foods plc
Associated British Foods plc is not an independent company. Its verified immediate and majority shareholder is Wittington Investments Limited (company number 00366054, England and Wales), a private investment holding company connected to the Weston family, which held 59.075266% of voting rights as at 2 January 2026 (55.622208% directly and 2.468857% indirectly through its controlled undertaking, Howard Investments Limited). No further verified corporate ultimate parent above Wittington Investments Limited has been identified; Wittington Investments Limited’s own Companies House filing records control as held jointly by a group of individuals connected to the Weston family, rather than by a further holding company. Associated British Foods plc itself operates through numerous subsidiary undertakings worldwide across its five reporting segments, including its Primark value-fashion retail business, with operations in 56 countries reported in its FY2025 Annual Report (52 weeks ended 13 September 2025). The full statutory list of subsidiary and related undertakings is disclosed in that Annual Report’s related-undertakings note rather than reproduced here.
Verified corporate relationships
| Entity | Country | Registration number | Relationship | Ownership | Status | Information date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wittington Investments Limited | GB | 00366054 | Immediate / majority parent | 59.075266% (voting rights) | Active | 2 January 2026 |
| Primark Stores Limited | GB | 00453448 | Subsidiary | Ownership percentage not disclosed in sources reviewed | Active | 15 September 2026 |
Recent structural changes
- Closure of the Vivergo Fuels bioethanol plant at Saltend, within the Sugar segment, during fiscal year 2025 (ABF 2025 Annual Results Announcement).
- Agreement to acquire Hovis Group to expand the group’s UK bakery operations, announced during fiscal year 2025 (ABF company announcements).
- Restructuring of Spanish sugar-beet processing from three factories to one, completed during fiscal year 2025 (ABF 2025 Annual Results Announcement).
Data availability
Corporate-linkage information for Associated British Foods plc is partial: the identity and shareholding of the majority shareholder, Wittington Investments Limited, is disclosed through FCA-regulated major-shareholding notifications, but a complete list of Associated British Foods plc’s own subsidiary undertakings and their individual ownership percentages was not independently verified for this profile and is instead disclosed in the company’s statutory Annual Report and Accounts.
Sources
- Companies House, Wittington Investments Limited filing history and PSC register (company no. 00366054) – retrieved 15 September 2026
- Investing.com, "Wittington Investments increases stake in Associated British Foods," effective 2 January 2026 – retrieved 15 September 2026
- Companies House, Primark Stores Limited (company no. 00453448) – retrieved 15 September 2026
- ABF plc, 2025 Annual Results Announcement (4 November 2025), abf.co.uk – retrieved 15 September 2026
WITTINGTON INVESTMENTS LIMITED
United Kingdom
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC do?
Associated British Foods plc is a UK public limited company (Companies House no. 00293262) and the holding company of a diversified international food, ingredients and retail group operating through five segments: Grocery, Sugar, Agriculture, Ingredients and Retail (Primark).
Who owns ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC?
Major shareholders only: Wittington Investments Limited held 59.075266% of voting rights as at 2 January 2026 (55.62% direct, 2.47% indirect via Howard Investments Limited); Artisan Partners Limited Partnership disclosed a 5.01% holding effective 1 July 2026.
Who is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's UBO (Ultimate Beneficial Owner)?
No natural-person UBO with a calculated effective percentage is reliably identifiable; Wittington Investments Limited's own PSC filing records joint control by individuals connected to the Weston family in a 75%-or-more band rather than individual percentages.
What is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's company registration number?
ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's registration number is 00293262, filed with Companies House in United Kingdom. Its current status on the register is active.
Is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC still an active company?
ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's status on Companies House is listed as active.
When was ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC incorporated?
ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC was incorporated on 20 October 1934, according to Companies House.
What is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's registered address?
The registered address on file for ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC is London, United Kingdom.
What legal structure is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC registered as?
ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC is registered as a Public Limited Company in United Kingdom.
What is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's revenue?
For the 52 weeks ended 13 September 2025, the group reported consolidated revenue of £19.5 billion and consolidated adjusted operating profit of £1,734 million, down 12% at constant currency.
Is ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC listed on a stock exchange?
Associated British Foods plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker ABF and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
Who are the officers/directors of ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC?
Companies House records 11 active officers (10 directors and 1 secretary) as at September 2026, including Chairman Michael McLintock and Chief Executive George Weston, alongside around 30 former officers.
Does ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC have a parent company or subsidiaries?
The verified immediate and majority parent is Wittington Investments Limited (59.08% of voting rights, January 2026); no further corporate ultimate parent is verified. Associated British Foods plc's own subsidiaries include Primark Stores Limited within its five-segment operating structure.
Can Zavia monitor changes to ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's ownership over time?
This profile reflects a point-in-time snapshot from Companies House. Zavia's monitoring API can track changes to ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's registered shareholders, officers, and group structure going forward, flagging updates as they're filed rather than requiring a manual recheck.
Can I access ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's data through an API?
Yes. Zavia's API connects directly to official government ownership registries across 195 countries and territories, including United Kingdom, so records like ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS PLC's registration, shareholder, UBO, and group-structure data can be queried programmatically instead of viewed one page at a time.
Where does this company information come from, and how current is it?
This record is sourced directly from Companies House and was last synced on 15 September 2026.