The Commerce Commission has received a clearance application from Woolworths Group Limited (Woolworths) to acquire 100% of the shares in Beak & Johnston Holdings Pty Ltd (Beak & Johnston).
Woolworths is an Australian-based retailer listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. In New Zealand, it operates a national supermarket business. Among other things, it sells a range of branded and private label ready-to-eat meals, soups and slow cooked meats through its Woolworths/Countdown and Metro stores. Woolworths is also the franchisor of SuperValue and FreshChoice outlets. Woolworths does not currently manufacture any grocery products in New Zealand.
Through manufacturing facilities in New Zealand and Australia, Beak & Johnston manufactures and supplies a range of products including chilled and frozen ready-to-eat meals, chilled and ambient soups, and slow cooked meats to grocery retailers, wholesalers, food service providers, quick service restaurants and other organisations. Beak & Johnston supplies these products under the brands Pitango, Artisano, Ready Chef, Beak & Sons and Strength Meals Co. Alongside this, Beak & Johnston also manufactures private label products, and imports and distributes Impossible Foods meat alternatives.
A public version of the clearance application will be available shortly on the Commission's case register.
Background
We will give clearance to a proposed merger if we are satisfied that the merger is unlikely to have the effect of substantially lessening competition in a market.
