PinguinLutosa has announced that it has signed a "principle" agreement with GIMV regarding the full acquisition of Scana Noliko.

Scana Noliko is an internationally active food products company that is growing rapidly. Besides the processing of harvest-fresh vegetables and fruit, it is also active in the preparation of convenience food products such as soups, sauces, dips and pasta dishes.

This is being commercialised under private label and own brand in cans, glass jars or flexible packaging. There are 2 establishments in Bree and Rijkevorsel, Belguim, employing 563 people in total.

This acquisition again represents a major step forward for PinguinLutosa, extending its product range with high quality preserved foods in can or glass jars. The strengths of Scana Noliko in agro, production, technology and R&D, in combination with the extensive commercial network of PinguinLutosa, complement each other perfectly and strengthen the organisation of PinguinLutosa even further.

For the current financial year 2010-2011 (ending on 31 March 2011) Scana Noliko is expecting a turnover of more than €180 million, with an EBITDA margin of approximately 13 percent. The previous financial year closed with a net profit of €9.9 million. Due to the outstanding track record of Scana Noliko and the quality of the organisation, a smooth integration is expected, in which Scana Noliko will continue to receive sufficient
autonomy and resources in order to continue to develop successfully in the future and by which economies of scale and scope will be pursued.

Hein Deprez, Managing Director: "The acquisition of Scana Noliko consolidates and facilitates our relationship with the farmers in one of our most important agricultural regions, i.e. Limburg-Haspengouw, where PinguinLutosa currently had relatively low representation. With this acquisition we take an important new step in the further expansion of PinguinLutosa as an important food group, of which preserved foods in cans or glass jars are a good, stable supplement to the existing product range.

"This all relates to a clear profiling of PinguinLutosa as an international food group with solid Flemish roots, which aims to optimise and stabilise the results of the entire group."

The transaction - which still needs the approval from the competition authorities and is subject to the fulfilment of a number of conditions - is expected to be completed before 30 June 2011.