Our M&A pages were busy this week, with Plukon Food Group swooping for poultry peer Groupe Duc, Lactalis moving again in an emerging market and Bunge adding a branded line to its business in Europe. Elsewhere, Danone surprised the market with a sales warning and there were threats of contamination of food on sale in Greece by a reputed group of anarchists. Click on the headlines for more.
Dutch poultry group Plukon – Duc buy “strengthens France growth plans”
Netherlands-based poultry processor Plukon Food Group has said its plans to grow the business in France will be “strengthened” by its acquisition of French peer Groupe Duc.
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Danone lowers sales guidance but upbeat on margin
French dairy giant Danone has lowered its forecast for annual sales on an organic basis, citing market conditions in Spain and the performance of its Activia brand.
Danone’s good news on margins but Activia leaves sour taste – editor’s viewpoint
Bright Food ‘eyeing sale of Weetabix’
China’s Bright Food Group is reportedly looking to sell its shares in UK breakfast cereal producer Weetabix.
Nestle, Unilever, Delta withdraw food in Greece after poisoning threat
Unilever, Coca-Cola, Nestle and Delta decided to withdraw some of their products from supermarkets in Athens after threats of contamination were posted on a Greek website.
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By GlobalDataLactalis to make Covalact latest dairy deal in Romania
Lactalis has struck a deal to buy Romanian dairy business Covalact, with the acquisition set to be the second the French giant has made in the country in 2016.
General Mills cuts sales, operating profit forecasts
General Mills today (20 December) lowered its forecasts on key sales and operating profit metrics after a second quarter of falling sales across the business and a slump in profits from its international operations.
Does General Mills sales drop signal a cut too far? – analysis
Bahlsen invests in Danish organic snack bar maker Rawbite
Germany-based biscuit and snack maker Bahlsen has acquired a majority stake in Rawbite, the Danish organic brand and producer of organic fruit and nut bars.
Bunge buys Turkish olive oil firm Ana Gida
Bunge, the US agri-food giant, has snapped up Turkish olive oil business Ana Gida, the owner of the Komili brand.
US honey firm Natural American Foods buys rival Sweet Harvest
US honey supplier Natural American Foods said today (20 December) it had acquired the Sweet Harvest Foods Company for an undisclosed sum.
US bakery group Flowers Foods sells ingredients unit to ABF’s AB Mauri
US bakery group Flowers Foods is to sell its Iowa-based bread and sweet goods mix manufacturer Specialty Blending to Associated British Foods, which is adding the business to its AB Mauri division.
