FDBusiness.com

Bonduelle Group, the world leader in processed vegetables, has concluded negotiations regarding the acquisition of the agro-industrial and commercial assets of French co-operative CECAB in Russia and in the countries of the Confederation of Independent States (CIS). The acquisition, which was announced last October, should take effect in the first quarter of 2012 for the start of the sowing season for the 2012 harvest. It is however still subject to the agreement of the Russian competition authorities.

Bonduelle has had a commercial presence in Russia and in central and eastern European countries, where it enjoys a leading position in canned vegetables, since the 1990s. Bonduelle currently supplies its markets in the region from three factories: two in Hungary. and one in Russia, which is currently operating at maximum capacity.

In 2007 the CECAB group, which has been present inRussia since 2001, invested in the construction of a factory in Timachevsk, 30 kilometres from the Bonduelle plant. The acquisition will provide Bonduelle with obvious synergies, resulting from the geographical proximity of the two Russian plants.