M&As this week: Pilgrim’s Pride, Piz’wich, Ministry of Cake

US-based Pilgrim's Pride has acquired GNP Company for $350m in cash.

Also based in the US, the target company distributes premium branded poultry products in the Upper Midwest.

French takeaway frozen snack manufacturer Piz’wich has been acquired by Ardian, a France-based private investment company, for an undisclosed consideration.

Piz’wich expects that the acquisition will help expand its global network and accelerate its development in the US, Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and Benelux.

Mademoiselle Desserts, a company based in France, has acquired Ministry of Cake, an American desserts manufacturer.

The target company produces approximately three million slices of cake a week at its production facilities in Taunton and Torquay.

Ministry of Cake expects the acquisition to enhance its position in the European market and enable it to be prepared to face the uncertainties from the Brexit in future.

Swiss milk processor Emmi has acquired Jackson-Mitchell to enhance its position in the goat milk segment by providing milk procurement opportunities.

The target company, which is a goat's milk products manufacturer in the US, is a family-owned business. Its products are sold under the brand name Meyenberg.

US-based investment company Kenex Holdings has acquired Bubbies Homemade Ice Cream & Desserts.

The recent transaction is Kenex’s second acquisition in the frozen segment after Imperial Frozen Foods in 2014.

A joint venture between BRF and Qatar’s sovereign fund, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), have agreed to acquire Banvit, a poultry producer based in Turkey.

The acquirers will hold 60% and 40% stake respectively in the target company.

The acquired assets will be incorporated into BRF’s subsidiary OneFoods, which holds 45% market share in chicken products in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.

BRF expects that the integration of Banvit and OneFoods’ operations will help consolidate the company’s position in the halal animal protein market.

SpartanNash, a grocery distributor based in the US, has acquired fresh produce supplier Caito Foods Service (Caito) and its logistics division Blue Ribbon Transport (BRT).

Caito’s produce distribution, and fresh cut fruits and vegetables businesses, as well as its new Fresh Kitchen food processing facility, will be acquired as part of the transaction.