UK: Cookie giants Burton’s and Fox’s in crunch merger talks

Sky News has reported that 2 Sisters Food Group-owned, Burton’s and Fox’s are in merger talks which, if successful, could cover 20% of the market.

Sky News reported on the talks today, just six months after 2 Sisters was approached with an offer of £350 million (US$460 million) for Fox’s which it has owned since 2011. Commentators at the time theorised that the buyer might have been Burton’s, producers of the British tea time-staple Jammie Dodgers, but things have been quiet in the camp until today.

If successful, the deal will create a company worth £400 million (US$604.6 million) and cut out a 20% slice of the biscuit market. The hybrid company would still fail to topple the market leader, United Biscuits, owned by Yildiz, which had a 24% share last year. The deal would create a more powerful number two in the UK cookie category, which is struggling to demonstrate better-than-anaemic growth figures.

Full Content: Sky News

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