Wessanen reinforces wellness position
Wessanen announced this week an expected agreement to buy a 41 per
cent stake in Dutch company...
Dutch-based natural food distributor and marketer Koninklijke Wessanen announced this week an expected agreement to buy a 41 per cent stake in Dutch company Natudis BV. Natudis is a supplier and distributor of branded natural and health food products in the Netherlands with proprietary brands such as Natufood, Ekoland, Vetara and Molenaartje. The remaining shares of Natudisare owned by Hügli A.G., Switzerland, and Mr N. Broersen, general manager of Natudis, both holding 29.5 per cent. By making this agreement Wessanen hopes to further its strategy to concentrate more on healthy, natural foods and specialties for the consumer and to reinforce its position in the wellness market. In 2000, Natudis' annual sales amounted to approximately NLG 114 million. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed and the transaction is subject to regulatory approval from the Dutch anti-trust authority (NMa). This announcement comes just a month after Wessanen's purchase of the distribution business of US Food for Health Co. from AMCON Distributing Company.
