Nestlé and Mars are among the food groups courting Gü, a London-based maker of soufflés and chocolate desserts that has been put up for sale by its founders.

The auction has triggered a rush to gobble up one of the sweetest arrivals on supermarket shelves. The company has also caught the eye of private equity groups, including Langholm Capital, a consumer goods investor backed by Unilever and Rabobank.