10-01-2020
Plukon Food Group and Staay Food Group announced today that they have signed an agreement in principle for Plukon’s acquisition of 51% of the shares in Fresh Care Convenience B.V. (FCC), based in Dronten, the Netherlands.
While Plukon is known primarily as a major player in the European poultry market, for the past 10 years it has also operated a production facility specialising in fresh meals in Wezep in the Dutch province of Gelderland. The new partnership with FCC is in line with Plukon’s objective of investing substantially in expertise in vegetable supply chains and vegetable processing.
The two companies will be further pooling their resources for the purpose of sourcing ingredients and managing existing logistics channels and available production capacity. In addition, the new partners will be able to improve quality assurance levels for vegetables, along with vegetable processing techniques.
The two companies are highly complementary in terms of the product/market grid: whereas Fresh Care Convenience – which specialises in fresh-cut vegetables, vegetable mixes and full-meal salads – has a strong position in the German retail market, Plukon works closely with a major Dutch retailer for convenience meal solutions such as steamed meals, stir-fry dishes and full-meal salads.
After the fire that erupted at Plukon’s Wezep production facility in March 2017, Staay Food Group helped Plukon to continue supplying to its customers, which further strengthened the already solid relationship between the two companies. Both companies are marked by positive drive and a strong business sense, and this will also serve as the basis for further defining their partnership, with the intention being for Plukon to eventually (within a 3-year period) acquire the remaining 49% of the shares.
The transaction will be submitted for approval to the appropriate competition authorities and for advice to Plukon’s Central Works Council.