M&As this week: The Hershey Company, Kraft Heinz, Hilton Food Group

The Hershey Company has completed the acquisition of Pirate Brands from B&G Foods for $420m.

The acquisition includes various Pirate brands such as Pirate’s Booty, Smart Puffs, and Original Tings.

Based in the US, Hershey Company is a food snacks producer that owns more than 80 brands including Hershey’s, Reese’s, Kit Kat, Jolly Rancher, Ice Breakers, and SkinnyPop.

Proceeds from the transaction will be used by B&G Foods for the repayment of long-term debt and potential acquisitions.

The Kraft Heinz Company has agreed to sell its 100% equity shares in Heinz India to Zydus Wellness and Cadila Healthcare for Rs46bn ($625m).

Heinz India owns Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil, and Sampriti brands, along with two manufacturing facilities.

J.P. Morgan Securities is the financial advisor, while Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher are legal advisors to Kraft Heinz for the transaction.

Hilton Food Group has entered an agreement for the acquisition of a 50% stake in Dalco Food for an undisclosed sum.

Based in the UK, Hilton Food is a food packaging business, while Dalco Food is a manufacturer of meat and meat-substitute products.

The transaction also includes an option to acquire Dalco’s remaining 50% stake before 2024.

The deal enables Dalco to expand its meat-substitute products portfolio and allows Hilton to invest in the vegetarian market.

The Andersons has entered a merger agreement with Lansing Trade Group for the acquisition of 67.5% equity for $305m.

Andersons will pay $175m in cash and issue unregistered shares worth $130m to Lansing equity holders.

The transaction will also involve the consolidation of Thompsons Limited and related entities jointly owned by Lansing and Andersons.

This deal will enable Andersons to fortify its grain business and expand its product range. The company intends to combine Lansing with The Andersons’ Grain Group.

Döhler Group has agreed to acquire a significant stake in Nutrafood for an undisclosed amount.

Based in Germany, Döhler Group is a producer and marketer of technology-driven natural ingredients, while Nutrafood is a plant-based ingredient producer based in Italy.

The nut products provided by Nutrafood will supplement Döhler’s portfolio, which includes pulses, cereal bases, and low-calorie bases.

Both the companies will develop new products and solutions that complement the current consumer trends.