Haudecoeur, the France-based food distributor backed by private equity firm Apheon, has acquired Natur Food and Heliadis.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
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Natur Food is headquartered in Giessen, Germany and Heliadis in Vilvoorde, Belgium. Both are family-owned companies.
A statement on Friday (31 July) from Haudecoeur, shared by Apheon, described the acquisitions as “complementary” and “a significant step in Haudecoeur’s development”.
The group said the deals expand its business globally for the first time and help to set it up “as a leading European platform in world food”.
According to the statement, the combined turnover of the three businesses stands at more than €350m ($404.3m).
Natur Food, established in 2006, operates as a wholesaler of Turkish food products.
The company sells a range of products under its owned brand Ahinur, which sells goods such as olives and canned tomatoes. It also distributes third-party brands such as Egetürk, which sells sausages and sujuk to a varied range of retailers across Germany.
Haudecoeur said the purchase opens the door to Germany’s Turkish community and also provides “a foothold to serve the sizeable and growing Turkish population in France”.
Heliadis, founded in 2005, supplies a wide portfolio aimed at the ethnic fast-food segment, with particular strength in sauces through its Nawhal’s brand.
The company markets sauces under the Nawhal’s name and mainly sells to foodservice operators in France via a wholesaler network.
Miloud Benaouda, the CEO of Haudecoeur, said: “These two acquisitions mark a milestone in our internationalisation journey by giving us an immediate footprint in the strategic German market and first-time access to the Turkish community, while strengthening our position in the foodservice channel and enriching our product range with the fast-growing sauces category.
“We have identified significant synergies and strategic advantages in both transactions and look forward to working with the Natur Food and Heliadis teams.”
Haudecoeur, founded in 1932, imports, produces and distributes food mainly to consumers of Maghrebi, Asian, African and Antillean origins through specialist retailers and supermarkets.
It is backed by private-equity firm Apheon as well as French asset manager LFPI and the Haudecoeur family.
Its produce includes rice, dried fruits and vegetables, spices, cereals, sauces, brick pastry sheets and candy. The company owns brands such as Samia, Riz du Monde, Profruit, Legumor and La Pastilla.
