BRITISH food to transport group Unigate yesterday said it was still on the acquisition trail as it reported a slight rise in profits at the half-way stage.

The company is fresh from £100 million sterling of acquisitions but still has cash in the bank from the sale of its US restaurants businesses.

It reported a pre-tax profit of £60.6 million for the six months to September 30th, compared with £60.4 million in the comparable period in 1995, and against City forecasts of a profits slide.