Danone business Brookside Dairy acquires Ugandan dairy SALL: Reports
The Kenyan Standard reported today that Kenya-based Brookside Dairy, which is part owned by French dairy giant Danone, acquired SALL for an undisclosed amount.
Brookside Dairy has assumed control of SALL's assets and taken over management of the dairy's contracted farmers, it added.
Kenyan conglomerate, the Sameer Group, and RKJ Corporation - India's largest bottler of Pepsi products - formed SALL in 2006.
SALL produces a wide range of dairy products, including fresh and UHT milk, yogurt, butter, ghee and milk powder, which it sells in Uganda and export to Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, Mauritius and South Sudan.
Attempts to contact Brookside Dairy, Kampara-based SALL and the Sameer Group were unsuccessful.
"Strengthening its geographical presence"
French dairy Danone agreed to acquire a 40% stake in Brookside Dairy in July 2014.
It acquired the minority stake for an undisclosed sum from controlling shareholders, the Kenyatta family - relatives of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Since its inception in 1993, Brookside Dairy has grown to become East Africa's largest dairy, and produces a wide range of products, including fresh and UHT milk, flavoured milk, yogurt, butter, cream, ghee and lala.
It also boasts operations in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and exports product to Rwanda, Burundi, the Indian Ocean Islands, Egypt and the Middle East.
Danone predicted in July 2014 that Brookside would tighten its hold on East Africa.
"By uniting Danone's international expertise in fresh dairy products with Brookside's regional expertise and robust supply chain, the partnership will enable Brookside's growth acceleration by expanding its product portfolio and strengthening its geographical presence in key markets in East African region, including Uganda and Tanzania," it said at the time.
