On 14 May, just-food.com reported that Dutch baby food producer Numico was facing the possibility of a buyout option. Speculation is now rife over possible suitors, and Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger has named food behemoth Nestlé and health products manufacturer Novartis.

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Plummeting share prices have left the company vulnerable and CEO Hans van der Wielen commented to daily Het Financieele Dagblad: “In this era of corporate governance you cannot preserve your independence at any cost. Understand me properly – I am not opening the door. I am unlocking the door.”


Van der Wielen added that Numico was prepared to become a “centre of excellence” within a larger company, but the latest newspaper report states that the market for functional foods looks less attractive now than it once did.


To visit the website of Tages-Anzeiger, click here.

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