French dairy giant Lactalis has grabbed immediate supremacy in two
former Soviet countries and paved the way for an expansion of its
own brand products after signing a deal to take over dairy company
FoodMaster International.
Lactalis, the French dairy group, has been given the green light to
acquire two Spanish producers, Grupo Prado Cervera and Central
Lechera Vallisoletana, by the European Commission's competition
authorities.
Ambitious Israeli flavours firm Frutarom has bought the European
natural fruit preparations business from the world's number two
flavours player just months after completing on the Swiss botanical
extracts firm Emil Flachsmann.
Dairy Farmers of Britain's £75 million acquisition of Associated
Co-operative Creameries means further consolidation within the UK's
tough dairy sector, writes Anthony Fletcher.
Family-owned US firm JM Huber has become the number one pectin,
xanthan gum and CMC supplier after yesterday agreeing to buy
leading hydrocolloid firm CP Kelco from merchant bank Lehman
Brothers, reports Lindsey Partos.
The acquisition of Rhodia Food Ingredients by Danisco has finally
been completed today, bringing the Danish ingredients group one
step closer towards its goal of becoming a leading supplier of
ingredients to the food industry. The...
Acquisitive ingredients firm Kerry will spend €170 million on four
bolt-on flavour acquisitions announced yesterday as the €3.7
billion Irish company continues to consolidate its position in the
highly competitive flavours market....
Despite recently announcing end-of-year results which were impacted
by last year's heavy investment programme, Wimm-Bill-Dann is
continuing its aggressive expansion policy with a major investment
in an Uzbekistan dairy facility.
Milk Link the UK's fourth largest integrated dairy business, has
this week announced that it is to continue its trend of acquiring
units by buying Peninsula Milk Processors.
Ingredients giant Danisco leapfrogs into the second global position
for cultures as the Danish firm acquires the food ingredients arm
of ailing French chemical business Rhodia.
UK milk producer Southern Milk co-operative has announced that is
to disband as a result of increasing competition pressure from the
recently formed Arla Foods UK. The move could leave its 55 member's
future in danger.
Nestlé continues to pursue its strategy of getting a foothold in
just about every food market in the world. The recent purchase of
Ukrainian food processor Volyn Holding is the latest in a list of
acquisitions designed to cement the...
Ending months of speculation Dutch life science products company
DSM announced today that is to pay CHF 3.5 billion (€2.4 billion)
for Roche's vitamins and fine chemicals division.
When Roche launched the sale of the division...
The Competition Commission's decision to investigate the proposed
merger between Arla UK and Express Dairies could have an adverse
effect on profits at the latter group.
Valio's Belgian subsidiary, Valio-Vache Bleue, has taken over the
operational and commercial activities of International Food &
Business - Brussels Food Distribution (IFB-BFD).
The UK competition authorities have asked permission from the
European Commission to rule on the proposed merger of Arla Foods
and Express Dairies in the UK.
German enzyme company AB Enzymes, a subsidiary of ABITEC Group, the
food ingredient and specialty chemicals group, announced this week
that it has acquired Gamma Chemie, a German-based enzyme business.
Swiss flavours company Givaudan has signed an agreement to acquire
International Bioflavors - a leading US producer of natural cheese
and dairy flavours.
Richmond Foods, the UK's leading producer of ice cream brands, has
reported excellent figures for 2002, boosted by the acquisition at
the start of the year of the Nestle business in the UK. Major
investments in production, and...
Arla sets out its stall as the leading speciality cheese producer
in the UK with the acquisition of HT Webb for an undisclosed sum.
The Scandinavian company said the deal reinforced its commitment to
the UK market where it has already...
Dairy Crest had long been tipped as the leading candidate to
acquire the St Ivel spreads business from Uniq, a rumour which has
now been confirmed by the two UK groups.
Russian juice and yoghurt maker Wimm-Bill-Dann has announced the
acquisition of 75 per cent of Kharkovsky Dairy Plant in Ukraine for
$4.5 million (€4.55m).
A number of recent acquisitions by Irish food ingredients, flavours
and consumer foods group Kerry will help the group post 2002
results in line with market expectations.
An attempt by a food ingredients billionaire to take over New
Zealand's second biggest dairy company could head into difficulties
if a farmers' collective wins the day, reports local New Zealand
paper The Evening Post.
