15 June 2006 - Lantmännen Unibake is acquiring Belpan Holding, which has strong market positions in Belgium, Luxemburg and the UK. The company is one of Europe's leading producers of frozen bread, croissants and snacks, with sales operations in Germany, Holland and Italy. Last year Belpan's turnover was Euro 80.9m, equivalent to SEK 753m. The profit margin is 8 percent. The company operates three bakeries in Belgium and has 291 employees.
"Belpan is a sound and profitable company with a product portfolio and market presence that complement Lantmannen Unibake very well. We will be able to benefit from synergies, taking advantage of each other's presence and range in different markets," says Bent Pultz Larsen, President of Lantmännen Unibake.
Lantmännen Unibake strengthens its position
Lantmännen Unibake is Northern Europe's largest manufacturer of frozen bread products, with production in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Germany and Russia, and sales in 45 countries. Last year Lantmännen Unibake had a turnover of € 311.6m (SEK 2,898m). Through the acquisition of Belpan Holding, Lantmännen Unibake is further strengthening its position in central and southern Europe. The company's total turnover after the acquisition will exceed € 390m.
"Lantmännen Unibake's operations outside the Nordic area are growing. The Lantmännen group's strategy is to increase both its international presence and its share of offerings to consumers. The acquisition of Belpan meets the stringent demands for business logic, and we are pleased to be able to strengthen Unibake's position and open up new markets, for example to Pastridor, which is Belpan's largest brand," says Birgitta Johansson-Hedberg, President and CEO, Lantmännen.