French Cheese Firm Bel to Acquisite two Czech companies

The Czech antitrust office UOHS has given the green light for French dairy company Fromageries Bel to buy Jaromericka and J+R.

Fromageries
Bel will take over 71.34% of shares in Jaromericka mlekarna and 100%
in J+R.
The merger of the Bel group and the
Czech companies will not harm the market in any way, the UOHS said.
Bel viewed the acquisitions as a
significant step in its external growth strategy in Eastern Europe,
and notably in the Czech Republic. The deal includes two
manufacturing sites close to the plant the Bel Group already owns in
the southern part of the country.
Czech Jaromericka Group, which
comprises Jaromericka mlekarna and J+R dairy, processed 87 million
litres of milk and produced 15,600 tons of cheese in 2007. The group
employs 317 people and its turnover amounted to 54 million euro last
year.