
Unilever intends to form a strategic alliance with Zwanenberg Food Group (ZFG). This collaboration entails that Unilever sells her meat, sauce and soup factory, which also procudes the renowned Unox sausages, in Oss to ZFG and that ZFG has the intention to transfer a volume of approximately 18,000 tons of her canned meat production to the Oss factory by 2019. This will allow the Oss factory to grow her produced meat volume with 50%, leading to a 20% increase in employment opportunities.
The factory also produces an assortment of the Bertolli and Knorr brands, alongside the Unox products. The recipes of associated brands, but also sales and marketing processes, will remain property of Unilever. Zwanenberg will however account for its production. Unilever and Zwanenberg have agreed upon a contract of 10 years, but have the intention to begin a long-term cooperation. The purchase will still be raised with the Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM), and for consultation with the works counsils of both Unilever and Zwanenberg Food Group.
BarentsKrans and Zwanberg
A team of BarentsKrans has acted as legal counsel to buyer Zwanenberg Food Group regarding the purchase agreement and commercial contracts of the strategic alliance with Unilever. Lawyers and civil-law notaries involved were:
- Michiel Martin
- Elze van der Minne
- Laurens de Graaf
- Esmée Hoogenkamp
Unilever press release
For additional information in regards to this deal we kindly refer you to the Unilever press release (in Dutch).