Madrid, 8 March 2010. The directors of Ebro Puleva (www.ebropuleva.com) and the Lactalis Group (www.lactalis.fr) have reached an agreement in principle to sell the Ebro Puleva dairy business for 630 million euro.
The financial statements of the Ebro Puleva dairy business will be audited over the next four weeks and the final contracts of sale will be drawn up based on the terms initially agreed. After that, the transaction will be submitted to the anti-trust authorities for approval.
Puleva Food has been a vital part in the strategic development of the Ebro Puleva Group since its incorporation in 2001, both for its significant R+D+I contribution and for its business approach and guidance. Its incorporation in the Lactalis Group will consolidate the presence of this important company in Spain, which will have a global turnover of over 1,200 million euro in our country, while at the same time giving it extraordinary development potential as it will join the third leading dairy group worldwide.
For Ebro Puleva, this transaction represents further progress in the concentration of its efforts and resources in developing its international activities in the meal solutions segment and the commencement of a new Strategic Plan, which will take the Group through to 2012.
About Ebro Puleva
Ebro Puleva (www.ebropuleva.com) is the leading Group in the Spanish food sector in terms of turnover, profit, market capitalisation and international presence. Ebro Puleva is world leader in the rice sector, the second group in the international pasta sector and number 1 on the Spanish dairy product market. It has leading brands in each of these sectors, including: Panzani®, Ronzoni®, Skinner®, Healthy Harvest®, American Beauty®, Saint Giorgio®, Catelli®, Lancia®, Birkel®, 3 Glocken®, Schuele®, Minuto® and Nudel Up® in pastas and sauces; Mahatma®, Success®, Carolina®, Minute Rice®, Lustucru®, Taureau Ailé®, Oryza®, Bosto®, Reis-Fit®, Riceland®, Danrice®, Risella®, Brillante®, Nomen®, La Cigala® and La Fallera® in the rice sector; and Puleva®, Ram® and El Castillo® in the dairy sector.
About the Lactalis Group
The Lactalis Group (www.lactalis.fr) is the world¿s third leading dairy group. With a global turnover of 8.5 billion euro and 37,000 employees in 25 countries worldwide, it has a strong presence in Spain on the cheese, milk and yoghurts through the brands Lauki®, Chufi®, Choleck®, Président®, Galbani®, El Ventero®, Gran Capitan®, Don Bernardo® and Lactel®; it also sells yoghurts and fresh dairy desserts under the La Lechera® brand. With this new acquisition, and including the activity of Forlasa, still waiting the agreement of the competition authorities in Spain, Lactalis will have 12 factories in Spain, 2,700 employees and a turnover of almost 1,200 million euro.
