NORWAY: Orkla acquires local ingredients supplier | Progresiv
Orkla Food Ingredients has agreed to acquire Norwegian ingredients company Arne B. Corneliussen from Danish Crown. 
Based in Økern in Oslo, the company’s product portfolio consists of spices, marinades, flavourings, starter cultures and other functional ingredients for the food industry, as well as a range of packaging solutions.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Arne B. Corneliussen had a turnover of 23.45 million dollars in 2016. The acquisition is being completed through Orkla’s wholly owned subsidiary Idun Industri.
Pål Eikeland, executive vice-president of Orkla and CEO of Orkla Food Ingredients, said: “This acquisition gives us access to a new growth platform in the food industry. The purchase of Arne B. Corneliussen also offers potential for synergies with our existing ingredients operations in Norway, in the form of a more strategic focus on the out-of-home sector as well as savings in areas such as purchasing and distribution.”
The seller is DAT-Schaub, a subsidiary of meat processor Danish Crown based in Copenhagen.
DAT-Schaub CEO Jan Roelsgaard said: “We have had nothing but good experiences during our period as owners of Arne B. Corneliussen, but the time has now come to concentrate our operations. We think that a Norwegian owner will be positive for the company, and we look forward to continuing the close collaboration between DAT-Schaub and Arne B. Corneliussen.”
Along with headquarters in the Oslo suburb of Økern, Arne B. Corneliussen also operates production facilities, a test kitchen and a warehouse. It employs 32 people.
Orkla Food Ingredients provides bakery ingredients to customers in the Nordics, with products such as margarine and butter blends, yeast, bread and cake improvers and mixes, marzipan and ice cream ingredients.
In March, it acquired the Dutch ice cream ingredients and accessories company Laan Heiloofor another undisclosed sum.
The company said its acquisition of Arne B. Corneliussen will help it to “expand its product range and customer base in Norway”. (www.foodbev.com)
