IMG acquires Taste Festivals operator Brand Events Australia

Brand Events Australia (BEA), which produces some of Australia's most successful food festivals, including Taste in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, as well as the Margaret River Gourmet Escape in Western Australia, has been sold to New York-based IMG, by its UK-based parent company Brand Events Holdings Ltd.

The British company launched the Taste Festivals brand 12 years ago, before selling it to IMG’s arts and entertainment branch in 2013. It now has 21 events scheduled globally in 2015.

BEA launched in 2008, and following the sale of Taste to IMG in 2013, produced the festival under licence. The deal brings the Taste Festivals wholly under IMG, but excludes BEA’s motorsports activities, which will form part of a newly-created separate entity, Live Events AY.

Last year, Brand Events struck a three-year funding deal with the Western Australia government to produce the Margaret River Gourmet Escape until 2017, at an estimated cost to taxpayers of $2.58 million.

Under the acquisition, Chris Hughes, Chief Executive of Brand Events Holdings UK, and creator of the Margaret River weekend, will stay on as event director.

Simon Wilson, Taste Festivals director, told media it would be “business as usual” for the events team following the sale.

Wilson stated “I believe IMG regard the team behind Australia’s top food festivals are a big part of the reason they wanted the business.

IMG bills itself as ‘a global leader in sports, fashion and media’, operating in more than 25 countries.

Last year it was sold to Hollywood talent agency WME for US$2.2 billion.

Commenting on the acquisition of BEA, IMG Australia Managing Director Chris Gilbert explained “the culinary space continues to grow in market appeal and we look forward to supporting the continued growth and development of these acclaimed events.”

Taste Festivals began in London in 2004 with one event and has grown into a global brand with 21 planned for 2015. The events showcase the latest, greatest, and most exciting restaurants of any given city to offer signature dishes and inspiration to thousands of foodies over three or four days. Taste has been critically acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest restaurant festival brands with over 100 of the world’s top chefs taking part globally.

Image shows the Margaret River Gourmet Escape.

25th September 2014 - AUSTRALIAN EVENT AWARDS FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

8th May 2014 - IMG TAKEOVER DEAL AGREED