Netherlands: Paulig reaches deal to acquire Conimex from Unilever

Finland-based food company Paulig has announced that it is acquiring Asian foods brand Conimex from consumer goods giant Unilever to strengthen its presence in the Netherlands.

Founded in 1932, Conimex is said to have a 100-strong product range that includes meal makers, prawn crackers, soups, sauces and seasonings, and 87% brand awareness domestically.

Commenting on the move, Paulig CEO Rolf Ladau said: “We aim to shape a popular food culture, and with the acquisition of Conimex we want to make it easier for even more consumers to enjoy cooking Asian food at home. This acquisition establishes our position in the Asian category in the Netherlands”.

“It also allows us to combine portfolio and concept development, leveraging Paulig’s strong R&D and production capabilities to grow our World Foods portfolio in Europe”, he added.

Paulig said it intended to boost Conimex’s growth by capitalising on the manufacturing expertise of Panesar Foods, which it acquired this autumn.

The acquisition is subject to approval by the Dutch competition authority. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Source: Paulig