HANA GROUP EUROPE acquired by EAT HAPPY GROUP

Orchard Foods Valley Ltd (backed by Orkla) has consolidated its position within the sweet ingredients category by executing the 100% share acquisition of Phoenix Brands, a specialized UK-based manufacturer of premium biscuits and baked inclusions. This strategic buy-and-build move establishes a robust operational foothold for the group, driving the localized expansion of its industrial manufacturing capabilities in the UK. The transaction directly reflects the acquirer’s portfolio diversification strategy, which targets high-margin, high-growth ingredient verticals. Phoenix Brands enhances the group's market offering by contributing an innovative, modern manufacturing platform alongside a high-quality product portfolio tailored to the exacting standards of both industrial food conglomerates and artisanal clients. By scaling this consolidated platform and capturing commercial synergies, the group intends to accelerate market share gains, optimize its competitive positioning, and meet the shifting demands of the wider food ingredients sector.

Orange Capital Development has finalized the acquisition of an 80% majority stake in Effepi, marking a significant step in the construction of its specialized "Italian Frozen Food Excellence" platform. This strategic move follows the organization's previous acquisition of Gelit, a producer of frozen ready meals, and is designed to create a multidisciplinary frozen food hub. The strategic rationale for the transaction centers on the convergence of high-end dessert production with established savory meal distribution, allowing the group to offer a comprehensive "Italian experience" to global institutional and retail clients. Through this integration, the group aims to unlock significant industrial and commercial synergies, particularly in logistics and supply chain optimization within Northern Italy. The partnership focuses on leveraging existing commercial platforms to introduce the target's dessert portfolio into new high-growth regions, including the United States, Canada, and Australia. Furthermore, the firm intends to utilize its South East Asian capital links to facilitate entry into markets such as Japan, South Korea, and Indonesia. This consolidation reinforces the group's standing as a primary enabler of Italian food exports, providing the operational depth required to navigate complex global trade environments while maintaining artisanal quality standards.

The transaction is structured as a significant strategic investment by One Rock Capital Partners into Eat Happy Group to simultaneously fund the acquisition of Hana Group's European operations. This corporate combination merges two highly complementary convenience food providers to establish an integrated pan-European fresh food platform. The institutional capital injection secures the necessary funding to combine corporate assets without overleveraging the target's balance sheet. Upon completion, the combined operating structure will control approximately 5,800 points of sale across fourteen European nations. This expanded geographic reach offers immediate diversification by introducing the Eat Happy brand into premium markets including France, the United Kingdom, and Spain. The industrial integration combines Hana's live-cooking kiosk expertise with the German operator's established chiller and shop-in-shop distribution formats. Supermarket partners will gain access to a highly flexible product assortment, maximizing retail sales volumes per square meter of store floor. Closing remains subject to mandatory consultations with relevant European works councils and customary anti-trust regulatory clearances. Willkie Farr & Gallagher provides exclusive legal advisory services to the acquiring sponsor.

Ambienta SGR, through its Small Cap fund, has acquired a majority stake in The Bridge from the founding Negro Marcigaglia family. The founders have committed to reinvesting alongside the private equity firm and will continue to play a key leadership role in the company's development. The strategic rationale for the acquisition is to capitalize on the robust growth of the plant-based food sector, driven by consumer shifts toward sustainable and healthier diets. Ambienta intends to leverage its international network and sustainability expertise to accelerate The Bridge’s expansion, strengthen its organizational structure, and further invest in product innovation. This transaction marks the second investment for Ambienta’s Small Cap strategy, following the recent acquisition of Pieco.

Ares Management has led a €300 million ($346 million) single-asset continuation fund to extend the ownership of Europastry, currently held by MCH Private Equity (who originally invested in 2011). The transaction includes participation from the Asset Management Umbrella Fund (advised by the EIF) and Newbury Bridgepoint. This strategic move follows Europastry’s decision to cancel its IPO in 2024 due to unfavorable market conditions. The structure provides liquidity to MCH's older fund investors while allowing MCH and the Gallés family to maintain their stakes and support the company’s "solid growth prospects." The capital will be used to further Europastry's internationalization strategy, particularly in the US and Portugal, and to fund its intensive €124M+ annual R&D and technology investment program.

LSDH has acquired 100% of Biscuiterie de Chambord following the retirement of the target company’s longtime director. The strategic rationale for the transaction is the continued diversification of LSDH’s portfolio into the artisanal and premium biscuit segment, a move that aligns with the group's long-term strategy of regional expansion. By integrating the biscuit maker, LSDH aims to leverage industrial and commercial synergies to consolidate and accelerate the development of the Chambord brand. The acquisition allows LSDH to tap into the high-margin "gastronomic products" niche while supporting local skills and production in its home region of Centre-Val de Loire. This deal follows LSDH’s recent large-scale acquisition of Bonduelle’s packaged-salad business, further demonstrating the group’s ambition to become a multi-category leader in the French food industry.

AlphaPet Ventures has completed the acquisition of 100% of Cpro Food, marking its fifth strategic acquisition since 2020. This transaction serves as AlphaPet’s primary entry point into the Belgian market, a high-value territory for premium pet nutrition. The strategic rationale centers on integrating Cpro Food’s strong local brand equity and breeder network into AlphaPet’s European digital platform. The acquisition was financed through a combination of equity, led by Patria Investments and Venture Stars, and debt provided by CVC. A key element of the deal is the retention of the founding Germeau sisters, who will continue to lead the brand’s next growth phase to ensure continuity for customers and partners. This merger reinforces AlphaPet's position as a dominant European consolidator in the pet food industry, utilizing its tech-enabled platform to accelerate Cpro Food’s internationalization while maintaining its high-quality Belgian manufacturing standards.

Danone has acquired 100% of Huel. This represents a significant milestone in the second chapter of the "Renew Danone" strategy, which focuses on accelerating growth through high-added-value acquisitions. This transaction allows the French group to establish a dominant position in the rapidly expanding "nutritiously complete" and functional nutrition category. The strategic rationale for the deal centers on the perfect alignment between Huel’s high-growth, plant-based protein portfolio and Danone’s global leadership in specialized nutrition. By acquiring Huel, Danone gains access to a cutting-edge digital business model and a premium, younger consumer base that is increasingly seeking convenient and healthy meal alternatives. The partnership is designed to be highly complementary, combining Huel’s entrepreneurial agility and D2C expertise with Danone’s industrial scale, research facilities, and extensive worldwide retail network. This move follows a series of targeted acquisitions by the group in the medical and biotic nutrition spaces, reinforcing its shift away from lower-margin traditional dairy toward high-performance, science-backed nutritional solutions. For Huel, the integration provides the necessary infrastructure to accelerate international expansion and enter new geographic markets more rapidly than it could as a standalone entity.

Unilever has entered into a definitive agreement to merge its global food business with McCormick & Company. This transformative transaction values the Unilever Food division at an enterprise value of approximately $44.8 billion. Under the terms of the deal, Unilever will receive $15.7 billion in cash and a 9.9% equity stake in the combined entity, which it intends to divest gradually. Post-transaction, Unilever’s shareholders will own 55.1% of the new group, while McCormick’s existing shareholders will hold 35%. The strategic rationale for the deal is to create a world leader in flavors and condiments with a combined revenue of approximately $20 billion (2025 figures). For Unilever, the move represents a decisive step in its strategic refocusing toward high-growth beauty, wellbeing, and personal care segments, following the prior spin-off of its ice cream division. The combined entity will operate under the McCormick name, maintaining its global headquarters in Maryland and establishing an international headquarters in the Netherlands with a dual listing in New York and Europe. The merger is expected to generate $600 million in annual cost synergies by the third year.

Atria Sweden has acquired a 25% minority interest in Cookin Food Sweden AB from its parent company, Bite Delight AB. The strategic rationale for the transaction is rooted in Atria’s "TOGETHER 2030" strategy, specifically targeting the convenience food sector as a key growth driver. This investment provides Atria with a strategic foothold in premium convenience categories like travel services and craftsmanship-driven retail food solutions. Crucially, the agreement includes a call option for Atria to acquire the remaining shares of Bite Delight AB after 2028, establishing a clear roadmap for eventual full integration. The partnership leverages Cookin Food's culinary expertise and Atria's industrial strength to accelerate the development of the convenience food business in Sweden. This transaction represents a validation of Cookin Food’s artisanal production model while allowing Atria to diversify its portfolio into high-margin, fresh-daily product segments.