Acted for the Barilla Group in its acquisition of Catelli, Lancia and Splendor
Overview
Torkin Manes acted as Canadian counsel to Barilla Group in its acquisition of Catelli, Lancia and Splendor dry pasta businesses from Ebro Group.
On January 29, 2021, the Ebro Group (“Ebro”) and the Barilla Group (“Barilla”) each announced the completion of Barilla’s purchase of the Catelli®, Lancia® and Splendor® brands dry pasta business from Ebro, through Ebro’s Canadian and US subsidiaries, Catelli Foods Corporation (“Catelli”) and Riviana Foods Inc. (“Riviana”), respectively. In addition to acquiring these highly recognisable consumer brands, Barilla’s purchase also includes Ebro’s manufacturing facility located in Montreal, Quebec.
The transaction, valued at C$165 million, is considered unique for a number of reasons: Ebro elected to spin-off only these dry pasta businesses rather than other product lines or its Canadian portfolio in its entirety; the brands involved epitomize ‘household name’ status among food staples; and the transaction was announced and successfully completed during the COVID-19 pandemic, involving the utilization of R&W (representations and warranties) insurance.
Barilla, headquartered in Parma, Italy, considers the purchase to be an elemental component in solidifying its role as a worldwide leader in the pasta category.