Italian firm acquires majority stake in World Options

MBE Worldwide has acquired a majority ownership share of World Options, the Accrington-based logistics firm which ranked in Lancashire Business View's list of the 100 most profitable SMEs this year.

World Options provides shipping, delivery and logistics services to more than 10,000 customers through a network of more than 120 franchisees and agents across the UK, USA, Australia, the Netherlands and Belgium.

MBE, based in Milan, provides e-commerce, fulfillment, shipping, marketing and print solutions to businesses and consumers.

In 2021, MBE served over one million business customers worldwide, generating almost £1bn in revenues, with more than £20bn additional income through the PrestaShop brand.

Stewart Butler, CEO and founder of World Options. "This is an exciting development for World Options. Combining forces with MBE creates unique opportunities to grow our business in new ways to benefit our franchisees and our loyal customers with colleagues similarly steeped in managing a franchise-based network of entrepreneurs."

Paolo Fiorelli, chairman and CEO of MBE, said: "World Options is an excellent strategic addition for MBE because of its entrepreneur-driven, people-centric, customer-first business model, which perfectly fits with MBE business and culture.

"We welcome World Options to the MBE family and we look forward to working together to continue strengthening our integrated platform - both physical and digital - to support our customers’ growth."