Eu Regulator Reviews Vandemoortele “commitments” In Délifrance Takeover

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The EU regulator is reviewing definite concessions submitted by Belgium bakery group Vandemoortele for nan support of its takeover of adjacent Délifrance.

Documents connected nan European Commission’s website show its title limb was notified astir nan woody successful October moreover though it was revealed by family-owned Vandemoortele backmost successful March for an undisclosed sum.

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A caller provisional deadline of 18 December has now been group by nan regulator to measure what it states are “commitments” submitted by nan Belgium group connected 27 November.

However, erstwhile contacted by Just Food, nan antitrust assemblage declined to remark further connected what those commitments mightiness be, citing policy. Vandemoortele had not responded to a petition for remark astatine nan clip of penning coming (1 December).

In a announcement revenge connected 7 November, nan Commission said it found, based connected a “preliminary examination”, that nan takeover of Délifrance “could autumn wrong nan scope of nan merger regulation”.

On that first assessment, it invited comments from 3rd parties to taxable “observations connected nan projected concentration” wrong a ten-day window, which has now passed. Developments betwixt nan regulator and Vandemoortele since past person not been revealed speech from nan commitments presented.

Vandemoortele had said successful March that nan operation pinch Délifrance would create a €2.4bn ($2.7bn today) bakery group, providing “solutions to unit and foodservice partners”.

Délifrance, a subsidiary of nan French atom cooperative Vivescia Group, generated a turnover of astir €930m successful nan twelvemonth done June, nan Belgium business said successful a connection astatine nan time.

Délifrance operates 14 accumulation facilities, employs much than 3,200 unit and supplies unit and out-of-home customers crossed Europe and successful Asia.

Vandemoortele itself already has 28 manufacturing plants and 3,500 workers, pinch its bakery products business generating an estimated turnover of €1.4bn.

It has expanded done 2 different caller acquisitions: nan European margarine and spreads business of Bunge successful March and Lizzi, nan Italian shaper and supplier of stiff bakery products, successful February.

As good arsenic Lizzi, nan company’s stiff bakery brands see Banquet d’Or and Lanterna, while nan business besides produces for private-label clients. It supplies markets successful Europe and nan US.

Last twelvemonth besides saw Vandemoortele make a clutch of different acquisitions, including nan acquisition of Italian bakery business Dolciaria Acquaviva and a mostly liking successful New Jersey-based adjacent Banneton.

The operation pinch Délifrance will grow Vandemoortele’s offering of viennoiseries, Danish pastries and artisanal breads.

Vandemoortele issued its first-half results successful September showing gross climbed 10.6% to €1.05bn.

“Growth was chiefly driven by bakery products, supported by nan integration of Banneton, Dolciaria Acquaviva and Lizzi,” nan institution said.

Adjusted EBITDA for nan group business was reported arsenic €124.7m, comparable pinch nan all-time precocious of €125.1m for nan year-earlier half.

Adjusted group EBIT fell to €70.2m from €90.6m. Earnings aft taxation (EAT) were €16m versus €57m.

CEO Yvon Guérin said: “Although our bottom-line profitability was little than past year, nan investments and initiatives of nan first half twelvemonth 2025 laic nan instauration for greater ratio and semipermanent growth.

“The pending acquisitions of Bunge’s European margarines & spreads business and Délifrance will beryllium transformative, broadening our merchandise portfolio and enhancing our world presence.”