The UK’s competition watchdog has cleared Samworth Brothers’ move to buy a sandwich business from local peer 2 Sisters Food Group.
The deal for the Nottingham-based unit was announced in November. Later that month, the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority launched an initial phase-one investigation into the deal. That generally means the CMA is seeking to ascertain whether there are any conflicts over competition or valid causes for concern among interest parties.
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On Christmas Eve (24 December), the CMA announced it had approved the transaction.
The deal marked another disposal under 2 Sisters’ recently-installed chief executive Ronald Kers. He took the helm in June when Mr Boparan stepped down as CEO to become president of parent company Boparan Holdings. At that time, Mr Boparan said the 2 Sisters’ business was in the process of “simplifying a complex organisation.”
In July, 2 Sisters sold its red-meat assets to Ireland-based Kepak Group. And at the start of the year, Boparan Holdings disposed of the Goodfella’s and San Marco pizza brands to UK-based Nomad Foods.
The largest sandwich manufacturer operating in the UK is Ireland-based Greencore.
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By GlobalDataRead just-food’s two-part interview with Greencore CEO Patrick Coveney, published in November
