45 acquisitions in May

Activity picked up in May, with 45 transactions recorded by bevblog.net, including some very substantial deals for lesser known names or units.

The biggest was Japan’s Marubeni $3,600 million offer for the Gavilon ingredients business in the United States.

Four others exceeded $800 million:

• $1,500 million from Japan’s Asahi for Calpis sports drinks
• £720 million from China’s Bright Food for 60% of Weetabix cereals
• $904 million for a US dairy restructuring within Lactalis
• $853 million from General Mills for Brazil’s Yoki.

Of the 45, 10 were in ingredients, 6 in packaging, 5 in alcohol, 5 in soft drinks and 3 in dairy.

As many as 28 involved the United States, with the United Kingdom affected by 10, Japan by 4, Canada by 3 and the Netherlands by 3.