(Reuters) – Snickers maker Mars completed one of the biggest deals in the prepared food industry when it announced on Wednesday the acquisition of Cheez-It owner Kellanova for $35.9 billion.
The packaged food sector is currently seeing a lot of business as companies seek to exploit economies of scale to cushion the impact of price inflation and demand for slimming products.
Here is a list of the industry’s biggest mergers and acquisitions over the past few decades:
Date merging
December: The British company Cadbury Schweppes Plc has agreed to
2002 Candy manufacturer Adams, owner of Trident and Dentyne
Chewing gum and Hall’s cough drops for $4.2 billion
from the pharmaceutical company Pfizer, making it the world’s largest
Confectionery group.
Nov Kraft Foods completes the acquisition of
30, the global biscuit business of the French group Danone
2007 for 5.3 billion euros (7.2 billion dollars), including the
LU brand family expanding the largest north
The presence of the American food manufacturer in Europe and
Emerging markets.
April Mars created the largest candy factory in the world
29, company with its $23 billion acquisition of chewing gum
2008 Chewing gum manufacturer Wm Wrigley Jr Co. Together, the two
Companies held 14.4% of the global confectionery market
market in 2006.
January 5: Nestlé bought the North American frozen foods business from Kraft Foods
2010 pizza business for 3.7 billion dollars and closed a
Offer for Cadbury.
Jan Kraft Foods bought the British confectionery manufacturer Cadbury for
19, about 19.6 billion dollars, making it the world’s largest
2010 Confectionery, and marks the largest European food
and beverage business on record, according to Thomson
Reuters data.
August 4: Kraft Foods announced the spin-off of its grocery business
In 2011, the company focused on the snack sector, which
We are seeing strong growth in emerging markets.
April: Nestlé bought the infant products of the US pharmaceutical company Pfizer
23, nutrition business for 11.85 billion US dollars, exceeds
2012 French rival Danone, as both tried to build a strong
to gain a foothold in the baby food market.
October 1: Kraft Foods completes the separation of its business.
2012 Founding of two separate companies: Mondelez
International, a global snack company, and Kraft
Foods Group, the North American
Food products company.
July HJ Heinz Co, backed by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire
2, Hathaway Inc. completed the purchase of Kraft Foods
2015 Group Inc. in a $46 billion deal that included
third largest food and beverage company in North America
America and the fifth largest in the world.
The new company Kraft Heinz should
about 28 billion dollars annual sales from brands like
like Oscar Mayer, Jell-O and Heinz Ketchup.
Aug Mondelez International gave up its quest to
29, takes over Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups manufacturer Hershey’s
In 2016, after the company raised $23 billion
Cash and stock offer. The deal would have
the world’s largest confectionery manufacturer at the time,
overtake Mars.
Jan Swiss food company Nestlé, also the world’s largest
18, a manufacturer of packaged foods, has agreed to
2018 Confectionery business to Italy’s Ferrero, manufacturer of
Nutella spread and Ferrero Rocher for $2.8 billion.
Jan Keurig Green Mountain closed a deal worth more than
29.21 billion dollars for the merger with the soft drink manufacturer Dr Pepper
2018 Snapple Group Inc. establishes a North American beverage company
Company, Keurig Dr Pepper
February: General Mills, maker of Cheerios cereal, buys Blue
23, Buffalo Pet Products Inc for nearly $8 billion,
2018 Entry into a fast-growing pet food market to
to counteract the decline in sales of processed foods,
Consumers have become more health conscious.
December: Nestlé SA has agreed to sell its US ice cream business
11, to Froneri worth $4 billion.
2019 Control over brands such as Häagen-Dazs to a joint
Venture that the Swiss group founded in 2016.
In June, Cadbury’s parent company Mondelez International bought
21, bar manufacturer Clif Bar & Company for 2.9 billion dollars,
In 2022, the company consolidated its global
Present.
April Mondelez International expanded its presence in
25, Mexico with the purchase of a bread maker worth 1.3 billion US dollars
2022 Confectionery store of Grupo Bimbo, Ricolino.
Dez Mondelez sold its chewing gum business, which brands
19, such as Trident and Dentyne, in developed markets
2022 European chewing gum and confectionery manufacturer and Mentos
Parent company Perfetti Van Melle Group for $1.35 billion
March The US ready-to-eat food manufacturer Campbell Soup completes the
12, Acquisition of Rao’s Homemade owner Sovos Brands in
A $2.33 billion deal in 2024.
Aug. Snickers maker Mars buys Pringles owner Kellanova
14, a deal worth nearly $36 billion.
2024
Source: Company announcements, Reuters article
(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum; Editing by Maju Samuel)
