US group East Balt Bakeries has acquired full control of two plants in South Africa in which it held 50% stakes.
East Balt has bought out partner SA Food Staples Proprietary Ltd from the sites in Cape Town and Pretoria. The two sides started their partnership in 2011. The plants make buns for customers including Burger King, KFC and McDonald's.
“We will continue to invest in and acquire new bakery facilities around the world in order to meet our growing global customer base," East Balt CEO Mark Bendix said. "The acquisition not only solidifies our presence in the South African market, it also positions us to further expand to emerging markets as needed."
Based in Chicago, East Balt has 23 bakeries in 12 countries, including France, China, Russia, Morocco and Turkey. It also supplies bagels, English muffins, tortillas and breads to foodservice customers.