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People & Industry News

Sysco to acquire European rival

By Jeremy Gerrard
Sysco to acquire European rival
February 24, 2016

Foodservice distributor Sysco Corporation announced this week it has reached an agreement to acquire Brakes Group—a European foodservice distributor with operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Sweden, Spain, Belgium and Luxembourg—for $3.1 billion. Owned by Bain Capital Private Equity, the transaction includes the repayment of approximately $2.3 billion of Brakes Group’s financial debt.

The deal is subject to customary regulatory review by European Union competition authorities. The companies expect to complete the transaction before the end of Sysco’s fiscal year in July 2016. Brakes Group companies include: Brakes, Brakes Catering Equipment, Brake France, Country Choice, Davigel, Freshfayre, M&J Seafood, Menigo Foodservice, Pauley’s, Wild Harvest and Woodward Foodservice.

Headquartered in London, Brakes Group will operate as a standalone company within Sysco. “We look forward to welcoming Brakes Group, its 15,000 employees, and Ken McMeikan and his highly respected leadership team to the Sysco family of companies,” says Bill DeLaney, Sysco CEO. “This transaction will unite Sysco with a leading foodservice distributor in Europe with demonstrated capability to sustainably grow its business over time. Beginning with a common customer-centric mindset, our companies are strategically aligned with compatible cultures and similar business models.”

The announcement of this deal comes months after a failed merger with American rival US Foods. The companies planned to merge last year, though Sysco pulled out of the agreement after a judge granted the Federal Trade Commission’s request to block the merger which charged the proposed union violated antitrust laws by significantly reducing competition nationwide.

US Foods announced earlier this month that the company will be going public.

KEYWORDS: food and beverage manufacturing mergers and acquisitions

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Jeremy Gerrard was Food Engineering's Digital/Online Editor. He is a graduate of Auburn University with a degree in journalism. His previous work experience includes years spent as a reporter with the Daily Local News out of Chester County, PA. In addition to writing feature articles for Food Engineering, Jeremy covered the Dry Processing, Field Reports and People and Industry news sections.

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