European food manufacturer Orkla today (22 November) announced a move to acquire the owner of a chain of pizza restaurants.

Orkla, which counts Grandiosa pizza among its main brands sold through grocery retail, is looking to buy Kotipizza Group, the largest pizza chain in Finland.

“The acquisition of Kotipizza Group is in line with our strategic ambition to increase our presence in channels with faster growth than traditional grocery, and we see a good match between the two companies,” Orkla president and CEO Peter Ruzicka said.

Orkla said its offer for Kotipizza Group, which is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki, values the business at around EUR146.1m (US$166.5m). Kotipizza Group’s board has backed the bid.

Kotipizza Group has a chain of 280 restaurants in Finland, of which all except one are franchise-operated.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData
Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

The company also owns purchasing and wholesale company Helsinki Foodstock, which supplies ingredients to the chain and other customers.

Kotipizza Group had total net sales of EUR84.1m in the financial year 2017 and EBIT of EUR6.4m.