17 October 2007 - Sligro Food Group N.V., Veghel, and Ickx-Dragee/Kaspar Group B.V., Roosendaal/Utrecht respectively, expect to reach agreement on the sale of Rosenberg, Diemen, the former's specialist confectionery wholesaler, to Ickx-Dragee and Kaspar Group.
Rosenberg supplies high-quality confectionery products under strong brands to the specialist food retail and supermarket channels.
Chocolaterie Ickx produces unique chocolate products of superior quality that are exported all over the world. Dragee, its sister company, is a Dutch wholesaler supplying Ickx products and a range of other confectionery to upmarket retailers.
Kaspar Group is an equity investment company with interests in medium-sized Dutch enterprises. It has two core businesses: Kaspar Venture Management (investments in existing enterprises) and The Start Up Company (start-ups for corporate partners).
The combine’s acquisition of Rosenberg is driven by the potential for synergy. On the Dutch market, Dragee will continue to focus on providing the best possible service to specialist retailers, while Rosenberg will concentrate on its own range of exclusive confectionery for the department store and supermarket channels.
Rosenberg generated most of its revenue in 2006 from third-party sales. Sligro Food Group companies are among its major customers, with total sales of around €10 million.
The sale will enable Sligro Food Group to concentrate on its large-scale activities in the foodservice market and its 150 full-service supermarkets.
In accordance with the mergers code of the Social and Economic Council (SER), notification of the transaction has been given and the Staff Council of Sligro Food Group has been invited to give its recommendation. The transaction should be completed by February 2008.