Acquisition deals led the most-read list of food and beverage stories this week, starting with private-equity firm KKR’s plan to buy Unilever’s spreads division for about $8 billion, in a deal slated to close by the middle of next year. The sale is expected to allow Unilever to focus on faster-growing food and personal care divisions.
Campbell Soup’s deal to acquire Snyder’s-Lance and Hershey’s proposed purchase of Amplify Snack Brands also proved popular with readers this week.
Restaurant stories also resonated, led by Wahlburgers’ plan to open eateries inside Meijer supermarkets in Ohio and Michigan. The retailer will also start selling lifestyle and nutrition products from Performance Inspired, a brand launched by Wahlburgers co-founder Mark Wahlberg. Also on the list: Einstein Noah Restaurant Group’s plan to shutter 30 Bruegger’s stores.
Read the entire Top 10 list:
- KKR to buy Unilever’s spreads unit for about $8 billion
- Campbell Soup acquiring Snyder’s-Lance for $4.87B
- Hershey forges $1.6B deal to acquire Amplify Snack Brands
- Meijer to add Wahlburgers restaurants, food trucks
- Bruegger’s to shutter 30 locations
- Kroger’s Ruler Foods banner gets a new look, logo
- NLRB reverses course on joint-employer issue
- Sources: Snyder’s-Lance may be considering a sale
- Cargill announces food startup incubator program
- Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal to hit US shelves in March
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