A NEW company set up to buy supermarket chain Kwik Save is basing its operations in Huddersfield.
BTTF Ltd will create more than 50 jobs in the next few months at its headquarters at Fitzwilliam House, Fitzwilliam Street.
The company completed its acquisition of 171 Kwik Save stores - including one at Aspley - from retailer Somerfield at midnight last night.
The value of the deal has not been disclosed, but is thought to run into tens of millions of pounds.
BTTF is headed by Paul Niklas, a former managing director of laminates business Formica.
His team includes Kwik Save director Steve McArdle as director of stores and Alan Birchall, previously managing director at Costcutter International, as business development director.
Richard Kirk, chief executive of discount clothing retailer Peacock - which owns the Huddersfield-based Bon Marché womenswear chain - becomes non-executive chairman.
BTTF will continue to trade using the Kwik Save brand, acting as the parent company for all stores purchased.
The new owners have the task of transforming Kwik Save's fortunes after several years of losses.
Mr Niklas said the takeover marked a "re-commitment" to the Kwik Save brand, which had a strong local presence in Yorkshire.
He said: "We will, over time, be refreshing the store image while maintaining the existing offer of quality branded products at competitive prices.
"We will also be looking for opportunities to source local produce wherever possible, to bring local products direct to the local community."
Mr Niklas said that his plan was to focus on offering a smaller number of high-quality products at consistently low prices.
"We have an extremely loyal customer base - but we want to attract new customers," he added.
He said Kwik Save's image would be updated and stores would be made more welcoming.
Alongside the BTTF deal, Somerfield has sold another 77 Kwik Save stores to several other retailers.
It is believed that Somerfield will net more than £200m in total from the deals.
A spokesman for Somerfield said the Kwik Save stores had lost millions of pounds over the past few years despite investment totalling £130m.
Somerfield will now focus on its remaining 1,100 stores, including the former Kwik Save outlet at Scar Lane, Milnsbridge.
A spokesman for shopworkers' union Usdaw said: "We have already contacted the new owners to find out their plans for the staff, how they intend to secure the long-term future of the well-known Kwik Save brand and to see how they can take this new company forward."
