M&As this week: Marine Harvest, Ingredion, Natural American Foods

Seafood company Marine Harvest has reached an agreement to acquire Canadian fish processor Gray Aqua Group of Companies, in order to strengthen its global fish farming footprint.

Involving a C$15m ($11.24m) purchase consideration, the acquisition will include one hatchery and two farming licenses in New Brunswick, as well as seven farming licenses and one processing plant in Newfoundland.

The final purchase agreement for the acquisition is yet to be signed.

US-based starch and sweetener ingredients maker Ingredion has entered stock purchase agreement to acquire TIC Gums.

Also based in the US, the target company provides texture and stability solutions using gum and hydrocolloid ingredient technology.

The purchase consideration for the acquisition is $400m, which will be funded through available cash and short-term credit.

US-based peanut butter and syrup products company Sweet Harvest Foods has been acquired by honey and commercial sweeteners seller Natural American Foods.

The acquirer company intends to expand its capabilities and reach through the transaction.

Switzerland dairy company Emmi has announced that it will acquire an 80% stake in Lácteos Caprinos, a goat milk processor in Campillo de Arenas, Spain.

The acquisition is expected to give Emmi access to the Spanish market.

Emmi’s current owners Pedro Mantilla and Francisco Sainz will hold the remaining 20% stake upon completion of the transaction in January 2017.

Philippines-based canned food company Century Pacific Food has announced that it will acquire a 100% stake in certain Chinese distribution companies.

The $2.56m acquisition is expected to give Century Pacific Food opportunities to expand exportation of its branded products.

The transaction will be completed through an all cash equity purchase deal.

A subsidiary of poultry meat producer and meal concepts marketer Plukon Food Group has entered an agreement to acquire a 97% stake in French chicken processor Duc as part of its retail strategy in France as a national producer.

As part of the transaction, Plukon Food will acquire existing shares from major shareholders, as well as new shares in DUC.

US-based beef and poultry products manufacturer OSI Group has completed the acquisition of Flagship Europe from Flagship Food Group.

The acquisition is expected to complement OSI Group’s current processing strengths, as well as enable the group to expand its capabilities and presence in Europe.

US-based raw and organic Kombucha drinks maker Millennium Products has acquired coconut-based kefirs and yogurts producer CocoKefir, which was co-founded by Michael Larsen and Holly Larse.

In a cash-cum-stock deal, North American food verification company Where Food Comes From (WFCF) has acquired a 60% stake in SureHarvest, an agri-food solution provider based in California, US.

The $2.8m deal involved a cash payment of $1.1m and issuance of 850,852 shares of WFCF’s common stock to the target company.

The acquirer company will gain access to SureHarvest’s patented sustainability software solutions that cover more than 2,200 agri-food operations.

French dairy company The Lactalis Group (Lactalis) has announced a buy-out offer to acquire the remaining interest in its subsidiary Parmalat, a dairy and food company based in Italy.

The offer price of €2.80 ($2.92) a share for approximately 227.41 million shares implies a total cost of €637m ($664.44m) to Lactalis for the acquisition of the 12.26% stake in Parmalat.