EANS-News: Valora Holding AG Valora completes its acquisition of the
Ditsch/Brezelkönig group of companies
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Company Information
Muttenz (euro adhoc) - Valora's acquisition of Ditsch/Brezelkönig provides the
Group with an additional retail format commanding a leading position in the
German and Swiss markets
- Potential for additional international expansion
- Transaction further enhances Valora's retail profile, extending the Group's
outlet portfolio to more than 3,000 units in four countries and sustainably
raising its profitability levels
Valora's acquisition of Ditsch/Brezelkönig provides the Group with an additional
retail format commanding a leading position in the German and Swiss markets
Valora successfully completed its acquisition of Brezelbäckerei Ditsch GmbH and
Brezelkönig GmbH & Co KG as of October 31, 2012. As a result, the Group has both
expanded its portfolio of small-outlet retail formats and further strengthened
its position in the Swiss and German markets. Ditsch/Brezelkönig's integrated
business model - encompassing the production and distribution of baked lye-bread
specialities - as well as its outstanding network of outlets operated on an
agency basis, provide Valora with excellent access to the attractive and rapidly
expanding market for immediate-consumption food products.
Potential for additional international expansion
The 230 Ditsch/Brezelkönig outlets Valora has acquired are well known in both
countries. Most are located at public transport hubs generating strong sales
volumes. The synergies between the new format and Valora's existing outlet
portfolio are multi-faceted and the two complement each other very well. The
acquisition also provides Valora with significant scope for efficiency gains.
Ditsch/Brezelkönig's concentrated focus on lye-bread products and its lean,
efficient production techniques are attractive both to Valora's own retail
operations and to specialist third-party retailers, as well as creating the
potential for additional international expansion.
Transaction further enhances Valora's retail profile, extending the Group's
outlet portfolio to more than 3,000 units in four countries and sustainably
raising its profitability levels
The Ditsch/ Brezelkönig acquisition underscores Valora's intention of further
enhancing its retail profile. The more than 3,000 small-outlet retail units the
Group now operates in four national markets, and the ideal modular congruence
between them, should enable Valora to achieve sustainable profitability gains.
Peter Ditsch, the prior owner and Managing Partner of Brezelbäckerei Ditsch,
will now switch from operational to strategic leadership duties, as well as
becoming a major anchor shareholder in Valora. This move on Peter Ditsch's part
demonstrates his conviction of the merit of this transaction as well as his
desire to make a long-term commitment to the Valora Group. Overall management
responsibility for the Ditsch/Brezelkönig business area will now be assumed by
Thomas Eisele, who has hitherto headed up the Group's business development unit
and has many years of M&A and management experience in addition to his
substantial retail expertise. Ditsch/Brezelkönig's entire management team will
remain with the company, thus ensuring that critical know how remains in house.
Further inquiry note:
Investor Relations:
Mladen Tomic
Tel.: +41 58 789 12 20
E-Mail: mladen.tomic@valora.com
oder
Media Relations:
Stefania Misteli
Tel.: +41 58 789 12 01
E-Mail: stefania.misteli@valora.com
end of announcement euro adhoc
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company: Valora Holding AG
Hofackerstrasse 40
CH-4132 Muttenz
phone: +41 61 467 20 20
FAX: +41 58 789 12 12
mail: info@valora.com
WWW: www.valora.com
sector: Retail
ISIN: CH0002088976
indexes:
stockmarkets: Main Standard: SIX Swiss Exchange, stock market: BX Berne eXchange
language: English