Under the deal, the Australian food brand manager will pay cash for the Auckland-based company’s roasting facility that manufactures and distributes 170 tons of coffee products, securing supply for its own Esquires brand which makes up more than a third of sales, said Scoop.

In addition, Retail Food Group will also acquire the coffee blend and syrup merchandising businesses and associated intellectual property, said the report.

Commenting on the purchase, Retail Food Group chief executive, Tony Alford, said in a statement to the ASX that the transaction delivers upon strategic growth initiatives previously advised to the market by adding value accretive businesses.

According to Alford, the investment will provide Retail Food Group with its own manufacturing facility and coffee roasting capability in New Zealand, thus complementing the company’s recent acquisition of the Esquires Coffee Hose assets.

The 10-year old New Zealand business names Andrew, Donald and Patricia Brodie as directors and shareholders, reported Scoop. The deal is subject to due diligence, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 1.

Retail Food Group said the price represents an earnings value multiple of about four times, and will be paid for from existing cash reserves. The shares fell 1.2% to A$2.40 in trading on the ASX today, and have dropped 16% this year, noted Scoop.

Retail Food Group Limited or ‘RFG’ is a leading Australian retail food brand manager and franchisor with over 1,112 franchised outlets under its stewardship.

It is currently the intellectual property owner, franchisor and manager of the Donut King, Michel’s Patisserie, Brumby’s Bakeries, bb’s cafe and Big Dad’s Pies franchise systems.

Since its listing, RFG has demonstrated the strength of its unique business model and strong management by delivering on the strategic growth initiatives outlined in its May 2006 Prospectus and consistently returning significant value for its shareholders, franchisees and other stakeholders.

The franchising industry, and in particular retail food franchising, has grown significantly in Australia with the total number of franchised outlets increasing by some 43.8% in the three years to 2004. Indeed, in 2004 there were approximately 850 franchise systems operating in Australia.

Wilbur-Ellis has a strong position in the feed ingredient market in the U.S. with decades of experience featuring a network of marketing offices, production facilities and key customer and supplier relationships.

The company has been a buyer of feed ingredients, building strong supplier relationships with companies in Australia and New Zealand, including NZAPFI, since the early 1990s.

Ron Salter, president of the Feed Division at Wilbur-Ellis, said the firm is looking to expand its reach as it becomes a full-service provider of pet food ingredients.

Salter noted that Wilbur-Ellis already had a productive marketing relationship with NZAPFI for over three years, and this transition is something that both companies are looking forward to.

According to Andy Chance, one of the owners of NZAPFI, the firm felt it was time to move the business forward for more growth opportunities. Chance noted that with Wilbur-Ellis’ leadership, experience and global footprint, NZAPFI is confident that taking advantage of these opportunities now will bring much success to the business in the future.

NZAPFI was founded in 2007 by Andy Chance and Murray Swanson when they purchased the facilities from Proctor & Gamble. Post the acquisition, the owners will continue to play a key role in managing and growing the business.

Bill Standeven, feed marketing segment manager for Wilbur-Ellis, and Rob Fullerton, feed marketing senior sales manager will also play key roles in overseeing the transition of ownership as well as managing the business moving forward. There are currently facilities in Bluff and Palmerston North, New Zealand. All locations were included in the purchase.

Established in 1921, Wilbur-Ellis is an international marketer and distributor of agricultural products, animal feed and specialty chemicals and ingredients. By developing strong relationships, strategic market investments and the ability to capitalize on new opportunities, Wilbur-Ellis has grown to become a $2.5 billion business.

The company’s ability to expand both organically and through strategic acquisitions continues. The Feed Division restructures, focusing on three lines of business: marketing, forage and animal nutrition. The Agribusiness Division expansion elevates it to national standing among distribution companies. The Connell Brothers Division becomes a leading international marketer and distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients.

Wallace Corporation will retain its rendering, tanning, farming and casualty stock collection business at Waitoa. Silver Fern Farms’ Te Aroha plant was seriously damaged by fire in December 2010 and has been out of operation since then. Silver Fern Farms Chief Executive, Keith Cooper, said that the company’s intention to rebuild the facility would be welcome news for the Te Aroha community.

Mr Cooper said the company planned to make a significant investment in the new Te Aroha facility subject to obtaining the necessary approvals. Designed in consultation with internationally recognized experts in process layout and ergonomics and incorporating the latest technologies, including sophisticated traceability and yield collection systems, the plant will reflect the company’s focus on plant economics and best practice processing.

Mr Cooper said the new design has been developed with eco-efficiency and sustainability in mind and will set a new industry benchmark in line with global customer requirements.

Once the green light is given the company expects construction to take approximately 9 months. Mr Cooper said that the opportunity to acquire Wallace Meats had emerged during the course of the company’s due diligence to identify the best solution to service farmer-suppliers’ needs in the broader Waikato area and at the same time contribute to industry aggregation.

Wallace Corporation Chief Executive Graham Shortland said the company has been planning significant investments in environmental initiatives such as waste to energy and new infrastructure at its Waitoa site.

Silver Fern Farms is New Zealand’s major marketer and processor of lamb, mutton, beef, venison and associated products to more than 60 countries. The company’s vision is to be a fully integrated market focused company investing in consumer products that will differentiate and add value to its farmer partners, customers and people.

Silver Fern Farms is a farmer controlled cooperative with 18,000 farmer shareholders. The company operates 20 processing facilities throughout the country, employing more than 7,000 staff in the peak season. Key markets in North America, the United Kingdom and Europe, Asia and the Middle East are supported through a network of international offices.

Wallace Corporation is a privately owned company is a diversified agri-processor with an annual turnover of around $200 million.

Stuff New Zealand reported that Mr. Donovan and his brother, Paul, took over the business from their parents, Patrick and Gayle Donovan, about six years ago. According to Stuff, the firm begun in 1991 after the Donovans exited a restraint of trade agreement following the sale of their previous company HB Confectionary to a Nestle subsidiary in 1987.

The company has grown to an export-grade production facility employing 25 staff.  The company’s profile recently revealed that the firm has been trading a line through Alison’s Pantry, a brand owned by Profile. Prolife Foods chief executive Andrew Smith, was not available for comment, said Stuff.  Prolife Foods was founded in 1984 by Bernie and Kaye Crosby.

Profile Foods’ leading brands include Alison’s Pantry, Mother Earth and Value Pack, which are sold in supermarkets throughout New Zealand. The company is also increasingly a supplier to the commercial and food service sectors. Stuff reported that the business acquired the Mother Earth brand, back in 2008, from Cadbury, which saw 20 staff added to the Maui St factory.

Back then, it had been hoped the acquisition would take the company to a turnover of around $100 million, said Stuff New Zealand.

Prolife Foods is a privately owned, New Zealand Food company. It has a product range that consists of nuts, dried fruits, muesli bars, cereals, grains, chocolates, confectionery and much more. Alison’s Pantry, Mother Earth and Value Pack are its main brands and are sold in Supermarkets all over New Zealand. The firm is also increasingly becoming a supplier to the Commercial and Food service sectors.

The Hamilton operation has the firm’s procurement, marketing, customer services, and manufacturing and distribution facilities. It also has an extensive sales & merchandising team spread out across the country for its customer service section.

Donovans is a small family business that has emerged to be locally and internationally renowned for producing artisan quality chocolates made from the premium ingredients.

Under the terms of the deal, Simplot will continue to work closely with Dr Oetker to grow its frozen-pizza business in Australia and New Zealand, providing ongoing support services including merchandising, supply chain and manufacturing.

Dr Oetker managing director, Declan O’Leary, noted that encouraged by the success of the Dr Oetker “Ristorante” brand in Australia, the firm looks forward to the next stage of its growth plan in establishing itself as a national supplier of frozen pizza in the Australian market.

Dr. Oetker is a Germany family owned food business. The firm boasts creating high quality foods since 1891 and is regarded as one of the leading companies in the German food industry and across the world. Based in Bielefeld in Northern Germany, Dr. Oetker manufactures and distributes a diverse range of food stuffs to over 40 countries around the world.

The Dr. Oetker baking range has expanded both inside and outside of Germany over the years, with rapid international expansion and diversification out of core baking products. More subsidiaries of the group have been established in Europe and overseas and new food areas have been grown into, says the firm.

Beginning in the early 1990s, Dr. Oetker embarked on expansion strategy that saw it commence new organizations and subsidiaries in Eastern Europe, including Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Hungary. In 2002, Dr. Oetker formed a subsidiary in the United Kingdom and in 2004 entered into the Republic of Ireland.

Recent acquisitions include the purchase of the Onken brand in 2004, the Unilever frozen pizza and snacks business across Europe and in 2006 the Supercook cake decorating business. In 2007 and 2008 Dr. Oetker opened offices in China, India, Argentinia and the USA.

Currently, the Dr. Oetker brand can be seen internationally within baking powders, baking mixes, dessert mixes, cereals, conserves, frozen pizza, frozen pizza snacks, yogurts and chilled desserts and in some countries with national specialties such as savory snacks and teas.

Simplot is a multinational food and agri-business with annual sales of more than $US3 billion.

Pactiv Corporation is a global leader in the consumer and food service packaging markets whereas the Reynolds Group Holdings Ltd is a global manufacturer and supplier of consumer food and beverage packaging. Other than that, Reynolds Group is as well involved in the storage products business. The two firms announced Thursday they will be moving to seal the deal after the waiting period expired.

The expiry of the waiting period marks a clearance that signals a closure, as it satisfies a condition to the closing of the transaction. However the completion of the deal is still pending approvals from customary closing conditions. The deal still has to be approved by Pactiv’s stockholders and foreign regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2010.

Pactiv Corporation is a leader in the consumer and foodservice/food packaging markets it serves. With 2009 sales of $3.4 billion, Pactiv derives more than 80 percent of its sales from market sectors in which it holds the No. 1 or No. 2 market-share position. Pactiv’s Hefty(R) brand products include waste bags, slider storage bags, disposable tableware, and disposable cookware. Pactiv’s foodservice/food packaging offering is one of the broadest in the industry, including both custom and stock products in a variety of materials.

On its part though, Reynolds Group is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of consumer food and beverage packaging and storage products and operates through five primary segments: Reynolds Consumer, Reynolds Foodservice, SIG, Evergreen and Closures. Reynolds Group is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

Reynolds Group Holdings Limited (“Reynolds Group”) announced last month an agreement to acquire all of the outstanding stock of Pactiv Corporation (“Pactiv”). The transaction value was approximately US$6 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Pactiv shareholders would receive US$33.25 per share (in cash), for a total purchase price of approximately US$4.6 billion.

Reynolds Group expects to finance the purchase price of the acquisition of Pactiv and associated transaction costs, with up to approximately US$5 billion of new indebtedness. The transaction was expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2010 and is subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, including the approval of Pactiv’s shareholders.

Affco Holding told its shareholders it had agreed on a binder by Talley’s Group for the unconditional offer. The unconditional offer now means all of Affco Holding’s shareholders will be paid within seven days, after Hugh Green Group accepted Talley’s offer. Talley’s said Tuesday it had attained acceptances of nearly 85 per cent after the deadline on the offer expired Monday.

In a statement, Affco Holding said the existing offer provides price certainty within the range that an independent advisor found to be fair market value in the circumstances that, given the high rate of acceptance under the offer suggest a major deterioration in liquidity in the foreseeable future. With that in mind, the independent directors now recommend all shareholders accept the takeover offer, added the statement.

Talley’s Group is involved in a variety of businesses that span the frozen vegetable to seafood and ice cream markets. As it stands, Talley’s Group already had a controlling stake of Affco Holding through a 53 per cent ownership of the stock and had signed an agreement for the purchase of 23.5 per cent held by the Spencer family’s Toocooya Nominees. Talley’s Group’s offer price was in the range of the 34 cents to 44.4 cents independent valuation of Affco.

However, Talley’s did not offer a premium to take over the remaining shares of Affco Holding. Affco Holding shares retailed at the offer price in the days prior to the Talley’s Group offer, settling at a high of 61 cents as of August 2008. The complete takeover offer came as a result of the initial move to purchase Toocooya’s stake in Affco. Subsequently, Talley’s Group made a move for the complete takeover of the firm.

Affco Holding is New Zealand’s fourth biggest meat processor and exporter. The firm was begun over a century ago and has existing operations in nine plants in the North Island and two plants in the South Island. Affco Holding owns 35 per cent of Open Country Dairy, an independent dairy processor that buys regulated raw milk from Fonterra Cooperative Group, while Talley’s is the third biggest shareholder with about 17 per cent.

The Reynolds Packaging (NZ) Ltd is a New Zealand firm owned by Graeme Hart, owner of the RGHL and New Zealand’s wealthiest man. The acquisition will be undertaken for a consideration of US$300 million subject to changes in certain situations. According to Reynolds Group Holdings Ltd, the acquisition will be financed with its cash reserves.

Graeme’s RGHL is one of the foremost global makers and suppliers of consumer food and beverage packaging. It also runs storage products and is operated via four primary segments namely SIG, Evergreen, Reynolds Consumer and Closure Systems International. Reynolds Group announced last month that it will buy Hefty bag maker Pactiv for $4.4 billion.

Including debt, the acquisition is valued at around $6 billion. It’s the latest and biggest in a string of deals that has built Reynolds parent company Rank Group Ltd into a worldwide packaging empire under owner Hart Graeme.

Reynolds Group Holdings is an American packaging company with its roots in the Reynolds Metals Company, the second largest aluminum company in the United States, and the third largest in the world. Headquartered for most of its existence in Richmond, Virginia, it was acquired by Alcoa in June 2000.

Alcoa’s consumer unit was acquired by Graeme Hart, the New Zealand businessman in 2008 who renamed it Reynolds Packaging Group. Hart’s other packaging holding were merged into Reynolds to create the present Reynolds Group Holdings.

On its part, the Reynolds Flexible Packaging is an industry leader in the production and conversion of flexible packaging, including laminated and multi-layered substrates and plastic shrink film. Its facilities produce a wide array of products that are used by leading consumer product manufacturers.

Its major products manufactured at its global facilities include printed, laminated light gauge foils that add color and protection to food and consumer product packaging. Other than that, the firm also makes laminated and printed pouch rollstock for healthcare products such as alcohol towelettes, tablets and transdermal patches; tamper-resistant and other types of laminated foil backings for pharmaceutical packages foil and film lidding for easy-open food and healthcare products containers.

In a seven year plan presented by Silver Fern Farms, a Dunedin headquartered meat processor, together with PGG Wrightson, the rural services and supplies firm and New Zealand state owned corporate farmer, Landcorp in conjunction with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry; the investment will target red meat consumers and the development of the products they require.

However, the partnership criticises the existing supply and animal procurement driven model highly. Speaking at a press conference Tuesday, Silver Fern Farms chairman, Eion Garden said the existing red meat supply and animal procurement mechanism is broken and must be fixed. He reiterated that the meat industry in the country had been the subject of revamping talks but no action has been taken yet.

As such, the meat industry has continued to perform relatively poorly, with the existing mode now being termed defunct, he said. In the plan, the project will seek to align farmers with consumers’ preferences and will have a bias on the improvement of on-farm productivity with regard to genetics and capability.

Silver Fern Farms chief executive reiterated that the firm was still in talks with PGG Wrightson, after their merger failed three years ago. However, that did not stop the other partners from developing the plan over the last 18 months. The joint venture will be operated via a new firm named FarmIQ Systems.

The investment plan will see Silver Fern Farms bring in 45% of the total fund, about $68 million, in the coming seven years whereas PGG Wrightson and Landcorp will bring in a mix of capital, in kind skills and advisory, nutritional expertise and resourcing for all the projects to be undertaken. As for the New Zealand government, it will contribute the remainder of the total sum, $83 million, via the Primary Growth Partnership fund.

The project is cited to serve as a significant development podium for New Zealand’s red meat sector, as it would pose a direct positive effect on its growth and development. A report detailing the rot in the sector recommended that greater strategic planning was needed to avoid short-term decision making that could compromise long-term market gains.

This came at a time when the US authorities were laying fraud charges against SK International Foods’, (Cedenco’s parent company) former owner and chief executive Fredrick Scott Salyer. Cedenco produces annual revenues of about NZ$20 million before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization with its net worth being pegged at about NZ$80 to NZ$100 million.

However, the Cedenco sale still remains subject to affirmation from the Overseas Investment Office’s (OIO). Korda Mentha, the receivers, made an announcement for the company’s customers, employees, growers and suppliers that the Japanese Food Group plans to continue Cedenco’s operations in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay.

According to Brendon Gibson, one of the appointed Korda Mentha receivers of Cedenco, the business has been run impressively since being put under receivership, getting seasonal funding from ANZ National and support from employees, suppliers and customers, enabling it conduct business as usual, even under receivership. Gibson further added that the sale’s timing provides further certainty to all parties as Cedenco heads into the next growing season. The Japanese Food Group has been closely related to the acquisition investment of Cedenco Foods for over fifteen years now and has current existing businesses in Australia, Singapore, Thailand, China and Japan. Goldman Sachs JBWere (NZ) Ltd advised Korda Mentha, the receivers, on the sale.

Cedenco’s products include fruit and vegetable powders, purees, pastes, retorted and frozen vegetables and are one of New Zealand’s biggest vegetable processors, employing a large seasonal workforce. Incorporated in 1991, Cedenco produces fruit and vegetable powders, purees, pastes, retorted and frozen vegetables for domestic and international customers from operations in Gisborne and the Hawkes Bay.

In Australia Cedenco operates a tomato processing plant in Echuca, on the banks of the Murray River in Northern Victoria. It also has a customer support office in Tokyo. Imanaka Foods Ltd is involved in import, export, and domestic sales of dairy products, oil  products, poultry products, agricultural, seafood and live-stock products, lumber, housing related products, new materials, chemical products, synthetic resin, molded products,   electronic equipments,  electronic components, and other products.