Hain Celestial buying UK group for $260M

The Melville-based natural foods maker Hain Celestial Group Inc. has agreed to spend as much as $260 million for Daniels Group, a U.K. maker of refrigerated and frozen soup, juice and desserts, Hain said Tuesday.

Daniels' brands include New Covent Garden Soup, Johnsons Juices and Farmhouse Fare, which, it says, is "famous for our Sticky Toffee Pudding."

Part of the sale price is contingent on sales performance of Daniels Group during the next two years. The seller is Singapore Airport Terminal Services.

Hain already owns and operates other British brands, including the frozen vegetarian foods label founded by the late Linda McCartney, and the Daily Bread fresh-prepared food company.

Daniels distributes only in the United Kingdom.

This is the second purchase by Hain this month. Earlier it bought a Canadian natural foods brand, Europe's Best, a maker of frozen fruits and vegetables.

Hain reported in August that it nearly doubled its year-to-year profit during a period when it gained greater attention as activist investor Carl Icahn upped his stake in the company to more than 16 percent of shares. Icahn also successfully pressured Hain to accept two board members of Icahn's choosing -- including his son. Hain chief executive Irwin Simon has said he has been collaborative and collegial in his response to Icahn's interest in the company.

Hain stock closed up 48 cents at $32.42.