Swiss multinational Nestlé has entered into a joint venture with private equity firm PAI Partners. The venture will focus on Nestlé’s frozen pizza brands in Europe. The company's pizzas already generate around CHF 400mn (€408.5mn) a year, but the...
Unilever has received a binding offer from US buyout fund KKR to purchase its global spreads business for €6.825bn ($8bn) following an auction in which it saw off competing bids from CVC Capital Partners, Apollo Global Management, Clayton Dubilier &...
The race is heating up for Unilever’s spreads business, which includes brands such as Flora and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, with a number of bids purportedly coming in from private equity interests.
Savola has reportedly teamed up with Singapore’s Temasek to make a joint bid for Americana, but the Kuwait food giant’s board denies knowledge of any bids.
Brazilian food giant BRF has denied it has joined a bid to buy Kuwait’s Americana, weeks after it bought a 75% stake in Al Yasra Foods, its Kuwaiti distributor, for US$160m.
France’s leading private label snack maker Europe Snacks has been sold by private equity firm IK Investment Partners to another private equity company Apax Partners.
Reports suggest UK soft drinks firm AG Barr could mount a £1bn+ bid for GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) brands Lucozade and Ribena, with support from private equity.
Iglo Foods Group is mulling over its future strategy following owner Permira’s cancellation of plans to refinance the business with a reported €500m after efforts to sell it failed.
The acquisition of up-for-sale Ragu manufacturer Symington’s could be the key to unlocking the success of Premier Food’s non-core brands, according to city analysts, after reports of private equity interest in the businesses.
Frozen food business - Iglo - is up for sale as the private equity group behind it - Permira - is getting out after five years of ownership; the asking price is set to be in the region of €3bn.
Is there appetite for M&A activity in 2012? Food market watchers reckon the sector could see some heavyweight deals next year despite the on-going credit lending challenges.
Lack of regional investment in food start-ups could mean few private equity investment opportunities in three or four years’ time, says a UK specialist – and that could impact innovation long term.
Consolidation in the food sector during the recession is throwing up opportunities for private equity to invest in smaller companies – if they have a unique product and a diverse customer base.
Food giants Nestle and Unilever are keeping their cards close to their chest over reports that they are both bidding to acquire the soy foods company Alpro.
Consolidation in the food industry shifts down several gears as the global credit crisis cuts into financing opportunities for merger and acquisition activity and cash-rich firms with strong balance sheets sit and wait.
The summer season is traditionally not a time when much ink gets spread along the dotted line. But that hasn’t stopped the rumour mill working over time, with reports that Danisco may receive a bid from Apax and speculation over potential buyers of National...
Rumour, according to the Romans, is a feathered beast with a myriad eyes and tongues. Last week she went bristling through the Danish business pages, spreading the news that Danisco could be bought by a private equity firm.
Private equity backed, billion-euro deals in the food sector are
gone as the credit crunch impacts the landscape, but smaller
transactions will remain and today's difficult climate will throw
up acquisition opportunities for...
Negotiations are underway between private-equity groups over the
sale of French natural ingredients firm Diana-Ingredients,
indicating a positive view of the company's potential in the
marketplace.
Cognis has refused to confirm reports in the German press that it
is in advanced discussions with three potential purchasers, but the
outcome of a strategic review will be made public before the end of
the year.
Mergers and acquisitions in Europe's food sector bounced back last
year, boosted by increased activity at the top end of the market
and the growing influence of ethical sourcing, according to
PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Cash, cash, cash. Castigated as simple asset-strippers out to make
a quick buck, the entrance of private equity onto the food industry
stage has participants chattering in the wings.
Private equity moves deeper into food ingredients industry, with
European equity provider ABN AMRO Capital buying up ingredients
distributor IMCD from AlpInvest Partners, reports Lindsey
Partos.
Job losses at leading lactic acid supplier Purac are on the cards
as the firm's owner, bakery ingredients supplier CSM, continues its
restructuring programme to strengthen core activities.
Spanish biotech firm Natraceutical will seek approval from
shareholders for a capital extension of €40 million to help finance
the acquisition of UK food ingredients business Braes Group.
UK private equity firm 3i will shed food ingredients business Braes
Group to Spanish biotech firm Natraceutical in a €80 million deal
announced last week, reports Lindsey Partos.
Chr Hansen is already on the look out for new acquisitions as the
firm enjoys a fresh financial thrust from its new private equity
owners, PAI partners, reports Lindsey Partos.
Dutch bakery ingredients leader CSM continues to shed activities in
non-core countries, selling off its Swedish subsidiary BakeMark
Sweden to private equity group Accent, Lindsey Partos
reports.
Ahold has completed the sale of another of its international units,
in Spain, adding €685 million to its bank balance as it continues
its restructuring in the wake of a €1 billion fraud scandal,
writes Chris Jones.
Australian food ingredients firm Burns Philp could be close to
announcing the sale of its North American spice business, Tones
Brothers, for up to $500 million, say Australian media reports.
Franco-German giant Aventis SA (AVEP) is near completetion of its
animal nutrition business. The business is to go for around 300
million euros ($268...
