IRELAND/GERMANY: Kerry buys ingredients firm SuCrest

Ireland-based food giant Kerry Group has added another business to its ingredients operations with the acquisition of German firm SuCrest.

Kerry said today (12 September) that the deal, struck for an undisclosed sum, would "significantly" expand its sweet ingredients and flavours business in the EMEA region. It said SuCrest was a "leading provider" of ingredients to sectors including the bakery, ice cream and confectionery industries.

SunCrest, based in the German town Hochheim in the south of the country, generated sales of EUR50m (US$67.9m) in 2010. It has a production facility in Hochheim and in Belarus. SuCrest also has a sales office in Moscow.

The company is Kerry's latest ingredients acquisition. In June, Kerry acquired Argentina-based firm General Cereals. During the first half of the year, Kerry has also snapped up Indian company EBI Cremica.