Sara Lee to Acquire Dutch Cafe Store Leader
Sara Lee, the US-based food and beverage group, is acquiring CoffeeCompany, a leading Dutch cafe store operator. The acquisition will boost Sara Lee’s branding platform and strengthen its presence in the growing segment of young out-of-home coffee consumers. The transaction is expected to close in the next 30 days, pending final closing conditions.
“This acquisition is part of our strategy to create a pure-play coffee and tea company poised for strong growth,” says Jan Bennink, executive chairman, Sara Lee. “Acquiring CoffeeCompany, one of the most exciting, dynamic coffee names among young urban consumers, will make Sara Lee the number one cafe operator in the Netherlands. It will also allow the business to expand its platform for inspiration, branding and consumer connection.”
Sara Lee plans to divide into two pure-play publicly-traded companies, one focused on the international coffee and tea market and the other on North American meats. The split is on track to occur during the first half of calendar year 2012.
Sara Lee plans to retain the current management team of CoffeeCompany, which will integrate and run the combined network of 60 premium cafes with more than 7 million yearly consumer visits. The new combined cafe stores business will have a strong presence in premium downtown locations in major cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht and The Hague.
