Bonduelle, a maker of ready-to-eat vegetables, present in canned, frozen, fresh cut and delicatessen has executed an agreement to acquire Ready Pac Foods, a US company specializing in single serve salad bowls.
Based in California, Ready Pac Foods is a producer of single-serve salad bowls in the US through its Bistro Bowl® suite of products and its legacy of innovation and culinary expertise. Ready Pac Foods is also a producer of fresh-cut produce, offering packaged salads, fresh-cut fruits, and mixed vegetables to its retail and foodservice customers. With 4 production facilities located in Irwindale (CA), Jackson (GA), Florence and Swedesboro (NJ), and employs about 3,500 full-time employees. Ready Pac Foods generates approximately $800m of revenues, with a national presence in the US and a wide customer base.
This milestone transaction is a key step in Bonduelle's strategic ambition VegeGo! 2025 of being "the world reference in "well living" through vegetable products". This acquisition will strengthen Bonduelle's international footprint and dramatically change its profile, making the US the largest country of operations, continuing a longstanding track record of successful acquisitions in North America, in particular Aliments Carrière, Canada, in 2007 and Allens, USA in 2012, and the fresh category, its first business segment. This transaction will also offer new opportunities to Ready Pac Foods business partners and deliver significant value to Bonduelle's shareholders.
This acquisition, which is fully compatible with Bonduelle's strong financial profile, perfectly fits with its strategic plan and will strengthen its leadership positions in its core business lines:
development of Bonduelle's business in the consumer convenience and healthy food segments,
increasing presence in the fast growing segment of fresh prepared vegetables,
reinforcement of footprint in North America, of a size, post transaction, equivalent to the European Union in Bonduelle's geographical portfolio.
Ready Pac Foods will become Bonduelle 5th's business unit, dedicated to the Fresh business in the Americas, along with Bonduelle Long Life Europe (BELL), Bonduelle Fresh Europe (BFE), Bonduelle Eurasia Markets (BEAM) and Bonduelle Americas (BAM), the latter being devoted to canned and frozen vegetables in Americas, from North to South.
Christophe Bonduelle, Bonduelle's Chairman and CEO, said: "We welcome all of the Ready Pac Foods employees into the Bonduelle family. We look forward to working with the highly skilled and successful Ready Pac Foods management team in bringing together two great companies in the vegetal food industry. This acquisition shows Bonduelle's ambition to further develop as a global leader in its markets and strengthen its positions in the consumer convenience and health segments to meet consumers' needs."
