Here are the main deals in the retail & FMCG sectors, including foodservice, that were registered last year. For a forecast regarding the M&A market this year, you can read this exclusive article.
RETAIL
- Transaction: Auchan buys a shopping center in Pitesti from Rolast
Value of transaction: EUR 20 million
Legal team buyer: Popovici Nițu Stoica & Asociații
Legal team seller: Reff & Asociații
Description: The real estate leasing company Rolast sold a shopping center in Pitesti to Auchan in a transaction that was worth EUR 20 million. The Auchan Gavana (former real) hypermarket operates in the specific shopping center.
- Transaction: Auchan Group takes over 12 commercial centers
Value of transaction: EUR 260 million
Legal team buyer: Popovici Nițu Stoica & Asociații
Legal team seller: Reff & Asociații
Description: Auchan Group takes over a portfolio consisting of 12 commercial centers composed of hypermarkets and commercial galleries situated in Bucharest, Timisoara, Cluj, Ploiesti, Constanta, Satu Mare, Oradea, Galati and other cities in Romania.
- Transaction: Carrefour Romania buys the supermarket network of Billa Romania
Value of transaction: EUR 70-90 million
Legal team buyer: Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații
Legal team seller: Schoenherr
Description: Carrefour Romania, the local subsidiary of French retail group Carrefour, announced in December it signed an agreement to buy supermarket chain Billa Romania from its German competitor Rewe. Billa Romania has a network of 86 supermarkets with a total selling area of 83,000 sqm.
FMCG
- Transaction: Mondelez International and D.E Master Blenders 1753 B.V. combine coffee businesses
Value of transaction: EUR 3.8 billion
Legal team buyer: Clifford Chance
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: Mondelez International and D.E Master Blenders 1753 B.V. combined their respective coffee businesses to create the world’s leading pure-play coffee company, called Jacobs Douwe Egberts. The two companies own some of the world’s leading coffee brands, such as Jacobs, Carte Noire, Gevalia, Kenco, Tassimo and Millicano from Mondelez International and Douwe Egberts, L’OR, Pilao and Senseo from D.E Master Blenders 1753.
- Transaction: Tymbark Maspex Romania buys Rio Bucovina and Rom Star Trading
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: N/A
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: Polish Group Maspex Wadowice signed a contract for the takeover of Rio Bucovina bottled water manufacturer. Rio Bucovina is one of the largest manufacturers of natural mineral waters on the Romanian market and it is the second largest player by volume, with a share of almost 10 percent of the bottled water market (market data for the period April-May 2015), according to AC Nielsen.
- Transaction: Premier Capital acquires McDonald’s local operations
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: Musat & Asociatii
Legal team seller: Tuca Zbarcea & Asociatii
Description: Premier Capital took over McDonald’s local operations, in a deal that includes all 67 McDonald’s restaurants in Romania, 19 McCafé coffee shops and the local McDonald’s franchise.
- Transaction: Nestlé Group integrates the Nespresso division in Romania
Value of transaction: N/A
Legal team buyer: Țuca Zbârcea & Asociații
Legal team seller: N/A
Description: Nestlé Group has integrated the Nespresso division in Romania from its former distributor Brands International that used to handle the sales activities for Nespresso coffee related products. The deal was carried out on the back of Nestlé’s strategy of regrouping under its umbrella the local distribution business of Nespresso products granted to Brands International in 2010.
FOODSERVICE
- Transaction: Aryzta AG buys Fornetti Group
Value of transaction: N/A.
Legal team buyer: DLA Piper Dinu
Legal team seller: PWC.
Description: Aryzta, one of the largest frozen bakery companies in the world bought the Fornetti Group, one of the most successful bakery franchises in Europe with a franchise network in 17 countries. The transaction was implemented through the acquisition of a newly established holding company under which the target group was arranged in accordance with our client’s requirement.