2022 was a big year for merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the poultry and animal feed industries.
Follow these links to review news items related to the M&A front throughout the year.
The proposed merger between ForFarmers in the U.K. and Boparan (through 2Agriculture) will be subject to further review.
The Adisseo group announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire Nor-Feed and its subsidiaries.
Less than two weeks after Cherkizovo acquired egg production company JSC Bashkir Poultry Farm, it reached an agreement to divest of it.
Oxbow Crush LLC has acquired a soybean processing plant in Greenwood, Mississippi, previously owned by Express Grain Terminals.
For the price of EUR 90 million (USD 95.7 million), northern European food company, HKScan, has sold its Baltic subsidiaries to Estonia-based food company, Maag Grupp.
Novozymes and Chr. Hansen have entered into a merger agreement, creating a biosolutions company with a diverse portfolio across several markets in the largest-ever merger between two Danish companies.
Russia’s Cherkizovo Group has acquired the poultry, crop and feed production businesses of Russian Grain Ufa for RUB6.37 billion (US$101.3 million) in an auction on December 5.
Engineered equipment leader Duravant expands food processing solutions portfolio with acquisition of MARELEC Food Technologies.
Chesapeake Utilities Corporation acquired Planet Found Energy Development (PFED) and its poultry litter waste management technology for $9.5 million.
AB Agri has acquired the dairy consultancy business Kite Consulting and its associated company, Advance Sourcing.
Industrias Bachoco intends to expand its presence in the pork and animal feed industries, as it has reached a business agreement to acquire 100% of the capital equity of Norson Holding, a vertically integrated pork producer and exporter, located in Sonora, Mexico.
JBS USA has reached an agreement to acquire certain assets from TriOak Foods, a Midwest-based grain marketer and pork producer, for an undisclosed amount.
Ever.Ag, a leading ag tech provider dedicated to empowering supply chains to feed a growing world, has announced that Dalex, a pioneer in animal nutrition technology, is joining its portfolio.
Further consolidation of the animal feed sector in the United Kingdom has occurred with the acquisition of Tamar Milling by the Wynnstay Group.
Darling Ingredients Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase Polish rendering company Miropasz Group for approximately EUR110 million (US$107.3 million), subject to post-closing adjustments.
Effects on competition in the national feed market are being considered by the competition body following proposal of a joint venture between the UK subsidiary of ForFarmers and 2Agriculture.
Gold Creek Foods (GCF) plans to reopen the former Campos Foods plant in Caryville, Tennessee, which closed earlier this year.
Through one of its subsidiaries, Brazil-based BRF is forming a new joint venture in Saudi Arabia to support the nation’s halal chicken production expansion target.
Chinese agrochemical company Maxunitech acquired the majority share of Inner Mongolia Shijie Chemicals with self-financing from its original shareholders.
With the completion of the acquisition, Perstorp is now PCG’s wholly-owned subsidiary.
Advent International, one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors with a well-established track record in chemicals, and Wilbur-Ellis, one of the largest family-owned companies in the world, have reached an agreement to merge their life sciences and specialty chemicals solutions businesses, Caldic B.V. and Connell, to create a global leader in its sector.
The Andersons, Inc. has signed an agreement to purchase the assets of Mote Farm Service, Inc.
Scoular has reached an agreement to acquire Walker Products’ grain handling facility in Lincoln, Kansas.
Viterra Ltd. has closed its stock purchase agreement to acquire the grain and ingredients business of Gavilon Agriculture Investment, Inc. (Gavilon), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marubeni America Corp.
OCP Group, a global phosphate-based products plant and animal nutrition leader, has signed a definitive agreement under which OCP would initially acquire 50% of GlobalFeed S.L. from Fertinagro Biotech S.L., a major Spanish fertilizers producer.
An offer from surviving family members of Industrias Bachoco founder Robinson Bours to buy out the remaining shares of the publicly held company remains stalled, but a recent vote by certain members of the company’s board of directors revealed that those members think the offer is fair.
Hatchery equipment company HatchTech secured an agreement with supermarket chain REWE Group to take full ownership of joint ventures SELEGGT and respeggt on September 30, 2022.
Emerald Grain has a network of seven grain storage and receival sites across New South Wales and Victoria.
Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc. has exited the Sri Lankan market with the sale by its subsidiary Pilmico International Pte. Ltd. of its stake in Gold Coin Feed Mills (Lanka) Ltd.
An ad hoc committee formed by Industrias Bachoco considers a recent buyout offer from select company shareholders “reasonable,” the company announced in a securities filing.
Acquisition of North Dakota facilities strengthens CGI’s presence in the Northern Red River Valley
Canadian halal meat company Amir Quality Meats acquired Wellington Poultry’s processing facility and the associated supply.
They will be operational for fall harvest and handle corn, wheat and milo.
Cooke Inc., parent company of Cooke Aquaculture Inc. of New Brunswick, Canada, and Tassal Group Ltd. of Australia, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Cooke will acquire all outstanding shares of Tassal for AUD5.23 (US$3.63) per share in cash.
Highview Capital acquired Jobbers Meat packing, doing business as WilMar.
Furst-McNess Co., headquartered in Freeport, Illinois, has acquired manufacturing and transloading facilities as well as a retail storefront in Lake City, Florida, previously operated by Central States Enterprises (CSE).
The combined company, under a joint venture between Cargill and Continental Grain Company, will be known as Wayne-Sanderson Farms.
French agri-food company LDC Group is working to acquire egg production business Matines, one of the largest egg businesses in France, from agro-industrial company Avril Group.
Tyson Foods and Tanmiah Food Company entered into a strategic partnership, in which the United States-based Tyson Foods will invest in subsidiaries of the Saudi Arabia-based company.
Nutreco has invested in Eruvaka, an India-based internet of things (IoT) company that develops connected devices and mobile-based decision tools to help aquaculture farmers reduce risk and increase productivity.
ForFarmers United Kingdom (ForFarmers UK) and 2Agriculture have come to an agreement to merge their businesses into a joint venture to serve a wider customer base.
Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire F.L. Emmert, a leading manufacturer and marketer of advanced nutritional solutions for the pet and livestock industries.
The merger of the Iowa Poultry Association (IPA) and the Chicken and Egg Association of Minnesota (CEAM) is effective July 1, 2022, creating an industry leader in poultry associations.
Bühler Group has created a joint venture with IMDHER S.A. de C.V., a leading player in the animal nutrition market in Mexico, that will drive process efficiency, quality and sustainability in the feed industry.
Sanderson Farms stated that it still expects a merger with Wayne Farms to happen, expressing that expectation in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Colorado-based Viserion Milling, a newly formed subsidiary of Viserion International, has entered into an agreement to acquire Western Milling, a diversified California-based agribusiness, from Kruse Western, Inc.
The Coop Group intends to increase its investment in Bell Food Group, a diversified food company and Switzerland’s largest poultry producer.
Cargill announced it has signed a binding agreement to acquire Delacon, a leading expert in plant-based phytogenic additives, citing growing consumer and feed producer interest in plant-based feed additives as one of the motivations for the purchase.
A Nasdaq stock exchange notice stating that a deal in which Cargill and Continental Grain Company would acquire Sanderson Farms would close on June 23 was published in error and has since been removed.
Grain Craft announces its parent company has entered into a definitive agreement for Grain Craft to be acquired by Redwood Capital Investments, LLC. Transaction terms were not disclosed.
Marel has successfully closed the $540 million acquisition of Wenger, a global leader in processing solutions for the high growth markets of pet food, plant-based proteins and aqua feed.
Atlas Holdings acquired Foster Farms and appointed former Tyson Foods CEO Donnie Smith as the company’s new chairman and CEO.
Bettcher Industries, a leading manufacturer of protein processing equipment, has announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which it will acquire Frontmatec from Axcel.
Heritage Cooperative Inc. is exercising the option to purchase the feed, grain, agronomy and retail assets of Witmer’s Feed and Grain Inc. of Columbiana, OH.
Perstorp Group, a sustainability-driven global specialty chemicals company, said it will be acquired by PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG).
Green Plains Inc. has formed a joint venture with the Riverence Group to expand aquafeed production in Idaho.
Cherkizovo Group, Russia’s largest meat and poultry producer, has acquired Russian fast-food business Sibylla Rus from Finland-based Atria Group.
Alternative protein company Eat Just, Inc. has entered into a joint development agreement with ADM.
JBS S.A.’s latest acquisitions have brought the company closer to its net zero emissions goal.
JBS S.A. completed the acquisition of Spanish company BioTech Foods, S.L. on May 5.
Shortly after Butterball completed a quarter where it returned to profitability, Seaboard Corporation increased its level of investment in Butterball.
JBS has acquired two plants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to produce prepared foods.
Darling Ingredients has completed the acquisition of Valley Proteins, one of the largest independent rendering companies in the United States.
Scandinavian meat and poultry company Atria sold its plant in Malmö, Sweden, with the transaction taking effect on April 26.
Marel agreed to acquire Wenger Manufacturing, a processing equipment manufacturer focused on pet food, plant-based proteins and aqua feed.
After the successful entrance into the shrimp feed market, the board of BioMar has approved the acquisition of AQ1 Systems, the world’s leading producer of acoustic feeding technology for the shrimp farming industry.
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) cleared the acquisition of Banham Poultry (2018) Limited by Boparan Private Office.
Hendrix Genetics, a leading multi-species animal genetics and technology company and Paine Schwartz Partners, a global leader in sustainable food chain investing, announce the completion of Paine Schwartz Food Chain Fund V’s strategic investment in the company.
Chinese hog breeder Jiangxi Zhengbang Technology will sell eight of its animal feed units to Beijing Dabeinong Technology, according to a Reuters report.
Datacor Inc., a provider of process manufacturing and chemical distribution software, has acquired Format Solutions, which specializes in the design, authoring and marketing of software for recipe optimization, ingredient allocation, operational efficiency and food and feed formulation solutions for the animal feed, aquafeed, pet food, human food, premix and other industries.
Omya, a global producer of industrial minerals and a worldwide distributor of specialty chemicals, has acquired Prima Inter-Chem Sdn. Bhd., a diversified distributor of ingredients and specialty chemicals in Malaysia and Indonesia.
Humphrey Farms Ltd. has sold 100% of the share capital of Humphrey Feeds & Pullets to Wynnstay Group Plc.
As of this week, Brazilian food processing company BRF S.A. and green energy company AES Brasil Energia officially closed on their joint venture – Potengi Holdings S.A. – to build a wind farm.
Cargill has agreed to purchase 24.5% of the shares of Salmones Multiexport S.A. (Multi X), the subsidiary of Multiexport Foods S.A. In turn, Mitsui, a shareholder of Multi X since 2015, will increase its shareholding by 1.13%, to 24.5%.
JBS has withdrawn its offer to purchase the remaining shares of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation.
JBS has concluded the acquisition of Italian meats company King’s Group, which has operations in Italy and the United States.
A special committee that formed to review JBS’ proposed offer to purchase the remaining shares of Pilgrim’s Pride Corporation does not favor the proposal.
Industrias Bachoco has closed on its acquisition of RYC Alimentos.
Cherkizovo Group has completed the purchase to become the single owner of Tambov Turkey, acquiring the second largest turkey producer in Russia from Grupo Fuertes.
BRF has executed a memorandum of understanding Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, to form a joint venture for chicken production in Saudi Arabia.
JBS completed its acquisition of Rivalea Holdings, an Australian pork company.
Roy Graber is a senior reporter at WATT Global Media. Contact Graber via email at rgraber@wattglobal.com.
2022: The year in poultry, feed mergers and acquisitions – WATTAgNet Industry News & Trends
