Mergers And Acquisitions

Kerfoot Group begins transition to Oleon brand. Credit: Getty/Klaus Vedfelt

News

Kerfoot to merge with Oleon

By Bethan Grylls

The Kerfoot Group has announced it will begin transitioning to Oleon in a bid to strengthen its ‘natural’ oil offering.

Morrisons to face a bidding war, with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice set to jump in the ring

Morrisons bidding war on the horizon

By Gwen Ridler

A bidding war for big four supermarket Morrisons is likely to begin, after reports private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) is poised to launch a counter-bid for the business.

Jim Dobson will step down as CEO of Dunbia before the merger

Dawn Meats takes full control of Dunbia joint venture

By Gwen Ridler

Dawn Meats is to take full control over its joint venture with Dunbia, following the announcement that chief executive Jim Dobson is to retire from Dunbia, 44 years after co-founding the company.

The value of UK food and drink deals was £21.4bn in 2017 and £8.4bn in 2016

Food and drink M&A doubled in 2017

By Rick Pendrous

Last year, the UK’s food and beverage industry brought in a total disclosed deal value of more than double that seen in 2016, according to the latest research from financial adviser Grant Thornton UK.

Raisio has sold its confectionery business to Valeo Foods

Poppets owner to sell off confectionery business

By Gwen Ridler

Finnish food group Raisio, owner of the Poppets and Fox’s Glacier Mints brands, has sold its confectionery business to Ireland-based Valeo Foods in a deal worth €100M (£88.6M).

Top five food and drink deals of 2017: Catalyst

Top five food and drink deals of 2017: Catalyst

By Gwen Ridler

The acquisitions of sports nutrition firm Grenade and cereal brand Weetabix were two of the top five food and drink deals of 2017, featured in this photogallery, according to market analyst Catalyst Corporate Finance.

Faccenda’s planned joint venture with Cargill Chicken UK will lead to scrutiny of overheads, predicted Shore Capital

Cargill and Faccenda deal ‘to prompt cost scrutiny’

By Michael Stones

The poultry joint venture proposed by Cargill Chicken UK and Faccenda will lead to scrutiny of overhead costs, according to City analyst Shore Capital, as Unite the union offered a cautious welcome to the plan.

Beechdean Group has acquired 50% of ice cream manufacturer Lovingtons

Beechdean scoops up ice cream firm

By Gwen Ridler

Beechdean Group has acquired 50% of ice cream manufacturer Lovingtons, in a joint venture designed to grow investment and boost the manufacturing capabilities of the company. 

Food and drink sector mergers and acquisitions are predicted to rise this year

Food and drink M&As predicted to rise in 2017

By Noli Dinkovski

A competitive environment and the increasing bargaining power of major retailers is putting food producers under growing pressure – which in turn is driving mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity – a trade credit insurer has found.

Food Manufacture’s top mergers and acquisitions of 2016

Top mergers and acquisitions of 2016

By Matt Atherton

2 Sisters Food Group, Krispy Kreme and Mondelēz International featured in the Food Manufacture Group’s top 10 mergers and acquisitions of 2016.

The purchase of Bernard Matthews by Ranjit Boparan is under investigation by the CMA

Boparan’s Bernard Matthews deal probed by CMA

By Gwen Ridler

The acquisition of turkey processor Bernard Matthews by 2 Sisters Food Group owner Ranjit Boparan is under investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

It's a deal: food and drink sector M&As rose by 11% in the first quarter

Brexit debate

Food firm mergers and acquisitions rise 11%

By Michael Stones

Food and drink sector mergers and acquisitions (M&A) climbed by 11% in the first quarter of this year, with 51 deals completed, according to business consultancy Grant Thornton.

Lactalis has risen to become the second largest dairy business in the world

‘Changing of the guard’ among top dairy firms

By Laurence Gibbons

There has been a “changing of the guard” in the dairy sector as French firm Lactalis has overtaken Danone as the world’s second largest dairy company, according to Rabobank.

Bright Foods's purchase of Weetabix has been one of the biggest 2015 deals

Food and drink M&A more subdued in 2015

By Rod Addy

UK food and drink mergers and acquisitions (M&A) lost their fizz in the first four months of 2015, discounting major one-off transactions, according to financial advisory firm Oghma Partners’ latest review.

All wrapped up: Finsbury's acquisition of Fetchers boosted pre-tax profit

Finsbury pre-tax profit rockets 95% after acquisition

By Michael Stones

Finsbury Food Group, the cake, bread and bakery goods manufacturer, has posted pre-tax profits up by 95% to £4.1M for the six months to December 27 2014 – boosted by its acquisition of the Fletchers Group of Bakeries.

Thorntons' boss Paul Wilkinson will chair tomorrow's Business Leaders' Forum

Business leaders' forum

Business Leaders’ Forum: one day to go

By Michael Stones

Senior food and drink manufacturing executives are preparing for the Business Leaders’ Forum (BLF) in central London tomorrow (January 20). The event – staged by the Food Manufacture Group – is a morning seminar for the sector’s leaders to discuss the...

Nearly 50 firms were involved in M&A activity in 2014, according to the new report

M&A deals to remain strong in 2015

By Nicholas Robinson

More than £20.2bn was exchanged in food and drink business mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in 2014, according to figures from Catalyst Corporate Finance (CCF).

Noble Egg Innovations is the UK's largest egg packer

Egg processor plans Noble investment

By Rod Addy

Noble Egg Innovations plans to invest £3M in its egg processing facilities now that its acquisition of Manton’s two factories at Gainsborough and Harrogate has been cleared by competition authorities.

World’s top 10 dairy companies

Top 10 global dairy firms – in pictures

By Laurence Gibbons

The world’s major dairy companies faced stagnant sales growth and a decline in billion dollar deals, making it tougher to overtake the competition, according to financial services group Rabobank.

Keep up-to-date with the latest news from the $500bn global animal feed industry by subscribing to the new website

Animal feed industry gets new website

By Jane Byrne

A new website has been launched to supply independent breaking news on the global animal feed industry, valued at $500bn last year.

Paul Wilkinson: braced for a tough year ahead

Business Leaders' forum

Tough year in prospect: Business Leaders’ Forum

By Michael Stones

This year will be prove challenging for food and drink manufacturers, predicted Paul Wilkinson, chair of the Food Manufacture Group’s Business Leaders’ Forum.

The merits of a merger or acquisition should be judged on whether it adds value to the business, said Ben Mercer

Business Leaders' Forum

How to spot a good food industry merger or acquisition

By Michael Stones

“The key driver should be the future integration of the business to add value to the whole,” Ben Mercer, partner corporate with the law firm, told the Food Manufacture Group’s Business Leaders’ Forum in London last week.

Investment in premium chocolate maker Lily O'Brien's is one of the latest deals to be announced

2014 food deals – momentum builds

By Rod Addy

A flurry of UK food industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A) could take place in 2014 as sales already underway conclude and large firms seek to boost their equity.

Richard Clothier: the loss of trust between manufacturers and retailers had fuelled the growth of accreditation schemes and boosted costs

Business Leaders' Forum

Horsemeat crisis adds to food firms’ audit costs

By Michael Stones

Food manufacturers are facing greatly increased audit costs, as a direct consequence of the horsemeat crisis, Richard Clothier, md of Wyke Farms, told the Business Leaders’ Forum earlier this month.

Mergers and acquisitions are set to grow this year, with particular focus on mid-market activity in the UK, said Stephenson Harwood

Business Leaders' Forum

Food industry mergers and acquisitions to grow this year

By Michael Stones

Food industry mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are set to grow this year, with particular focus on mid-market activity in the UK, according to Ben Mercer, corporate partner with the law firm Stephenson Harwood.

A bid to improve domestic food safety was one of the Chinese government's main motivations for acquiring food businesses around the world, said Ben Mercer

Business Leaders' Forum

Chinese food business acquisitions driven by food safety

By Michael Stones

Improving domestic food safety was one of the main motivations of the Chinese government in acquiring food manufacturing businesses around the world, a lawyer for Stephenson Harwood told the Food Manufacture Group’s Business Leaders’ Forum.

Could AG Barr's acquisition of GSK's Lucozade and Ribena brands be the next big food and drink industry deal?

Food mergers and acquisitions hit 10-year low

By Mike Stones

Mergers and acquisitions in the UK food and drink industry hit a 10-year low at just 73 deals in the first half of this year, revealed figures from information services company Experian.

2 Sisters acquired Vion's sites in March this year, subject to OFT approval

OFT decision saves jobs in Scotland

By Rick Pendrous

The Office of Fair Trading's (OFT's) decision not to refer 2 Sisters Food Group's (2SFG's) acquisition of large parts of Vion UK's food operations to the Competition Commission was widely welcomed news last month, since it safeguarded...

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