European Commission Clears ABP Food Group and Fane Valley Deal
The European Commission has cleared unconditionally under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of joint control over Linden Foods by ABP Food Group and Fane Valley. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not adversely affect competition in the EU Single Market.
ABP, Fane Valley, and Linden are active in Ireland and the UK in the purchase and slaughter of live cattle, sheep and lambs, as well as the processing of their meat. The companies also have overlapping activities in the market for sale of fresh and processed meat, and the markets for animal by-products.
Fane Valley of the UK is a farmer owned co-operative society active in the slaughtering of cattle and ovine animals, meat processing and the collection and processing of animal by-products in Ireland and the UK. Linden Foods is currently solely controlled by Fane Valley, and is active in the slaughtering and processing of cattle and ovine animals in the UK.
ABP Food Group of Ireland is active in the slaughtering of cattle and ovine animals, the processing of their meat and the collection and processing of associated animal by-products in Ireland, the UK, and other European countries.
ABP already holds a non-controlling interest in Linden and proposes to increase its shareholding to 50% with the effect that, following the transaction, Linden will be jointly controlled by ABP and Fane Valley.
