The Belgium bakery group proposes divesting a UK factory to address competition concerns over its €2.4bn acquisition of Délifrance.
Vandemoortele has proposed selling its Worcester, UK plant to secure regulatory approval for its €2.4bn acquisition of Délifrance. The move follows a Phase 2 investigation by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into potential anti-competitive effects of the deal, first announced in March 2023.
The CMA launched the probe after Vandemoortele failed to sell two Délifrance facilities in France, a condition set by the European Commission for provisional approval. The UK regulator raised concerns over a “substantial lessening of competition” in frozen laminated dough products for retail and foodservice sectors.
The proposed sale includes the Worcester plant’s assets, contracts, 73 staff, and customer relationships. The CMA is consulting on the remedy, with feedback due by 25 June.