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Oliver Kay, a fruit and vegetable distributor, has been bought by a team of its managers led by the company’s eponymous founder. The buy-out team was backed in the £17 million deal by private equity firm Aberdeen Asset Managers Growth Capital.

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National Milk Records (NMR), a holding company that supplies software to the dairy industry, has listed on PLUS Markets, placing 7.3 million shares at 43p each.

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Presence Networks, an instant messaging service provider, has received £250,000 of investment from The Capital Fund. It is one of a series of investments in the company by the venture capital fund, which backs fast-growth businesses in London.

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Insurance and asset management group AXA UK has strengthened its broking services business to the SME market after buying two companies. The group has bought insurance brokers Stuart Alexander and Layton Blackham in deals funded by its private equity business, Venture Preference.

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Barclays Ventures has backed the £21 million management buy-out of Christy Group, a designer and distributor of children’s costumes, from a private shareholder group. The vendor has kept a minority stake in the company.

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Animation company Calon has secured a capital investment of £600,000 from Finance Wales. Calon, the creators behind shows such as SuperTed and Sali Mali, hopes the funding will allow the company to take more control over intellectual property rights, while also building a presence in the digital arena through acquisitions.