Mad Butcher returns to Leitch family

Veritas Investments is to sell its Mad Butcher franchisor business to chief executive and former owner Michael Morton and his partner Julie Leitch - daughter of company founder Sir Peter Leitch - for $8 million. This is less than a quarter of what Mr Morton sold it to Veritas for in a reverse listing in 2013, when Veritas paid $40 million for the business - $20 million in cash and $20 million in Veritas shares. Since then, a number of stores have closed or been taken over by the company after experiencing difficult trading conditions and stiff competition from supermarkets. The sale is subject to the approval of Veritas shareholders, which will be sought at a special shareholders' meeting to be held in early 2018.