The member council of dairy cooperative Zuivelcoöperatie FrieslandCampina U.A. has approved the sale of part of its German consumer business to the Theo Müller Group.
The sale, announced last week, includes the Landliebe and Tuffi brands, as well as three production facilities.
FrieslandCampina Members Approve Transaction
Prior to the voting, chairman Sybren Attema emphasised that this step creates value for all members, and that the membership of the cooperative remains unchanged for its German members.
The German competition authority’s decision on the proposed transaction is expected later this year.
A member of Royal FrieslandCampina’s executive board and the president of its food-and-beverage division, Roel van Neerbos, commented, “The market position and results of FrieslandCampina Germany have improved significantly in recent years through targeted measures.
“Nevertheless, we are convinced that in the new owner, [the] Theo Müller Group, we have found a suitable successor who, through synergy benefits, will be able to further develop this company successfully.”
FrieslandCampina added that it would continue to collect and process milk from its German dairy farmer members.
'Strategic Evaluation' Of Friso
Elsewhere, the CEO of Royal FrieslandCampina N.V., Hein Schumacher, announced the outcome of the strategic evaluation of infant nutrition activities under the Friso brand, carried out by the dairy group.
The evaluation underlined that Friso will continue to provide significant added value to the total business portfolio, and that greater focus will contribute to optimal growth.
To this end, the dairy giant noted, the geographical focus of the business will be on several core markets: China, Greece, Malaysia, Mexico and Vietnam.
The specialised nutrition business group will fully focus on the Friso brand, innovation in the premium segment, and further digitalisation.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest fresh-produce news. Article by Conor Farrelly. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
