Alantra advises ARYZTA on the sale of its Brazil business to Grupo Bimbo

Aug 2021

Sell-side advisory

Zurich – Alantra, the global investment banking and asset management specialist, has advised the Switzerland-based food company, ARYZTA AG (“ARYZTA” or “the Company”), on the sale of its Brazil businesses to Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV (“The Group”). The transaction is expected to complete by the end of Q2 of ARYZTA’s financial year 2022, and is subject to closing conditions customary for this type of transaction.

Based in Schlieren (Switzerland) and listed on the Swiss stock exchange, ARYZTA is a global food business with a convenience bakery leadership position. The Company operates in Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America and has one of the broadest bakery products portfolios in the industry, offering a variety of bread, roll & bun, patisserie, savory snacks, sweet pastry, viennoiserie, and culinary aids. ARYZTA’s Brazil business operates four factories with a focus on the quick-service restaurant sector.

Grupo Bimbo is a world leader in the bakery industry in terms of production volumes and sales. The Group produces and distributes a wide range of fresh and frozen bakery goods, including boxed bread, buns, biscuits, pastries, packaged products, tortillas, savory snacks and confectionery, among others. Headquartered in Mexico, Bimbo is present in 33 countries, has over 200 facilities and has more than 130,000 employees.

This transaction is an important step in ARYZTA’s disposal strategy in America, after the sale of the Company’s business in North America to Lindsay Goldberg last March, also advised by Alantra.  

Chairman and interim CEO of ARYZTA, Urs Jordi, said in a press statement: “The successful sale of the Brazil businesses is a further positive step in the delivery of our strategy to rebuild ARYZTA’s leadership in bakery in Europe and Asia. ARYZTA’s disposal program since September has exceeded expectations in all regards and accelerates the Group’s journey to financial stability. Our focus will now centre on delivery of sustainable organic growth and achieving industry profitability and efficiency levels through our multi-local business strategy.”

Martin Menzi, Managing Partner at Alantra Switzerland, and Gianni Casanova, Managing Director and head of Brazil, comment: “We are thrilled to have supported ARYZTA on its divestment strategy in the Americas. This is our fifth transaction with ARYZTA. Our local presence  and the understanding of its business drivers and strategic objectives were key in supporting management throughout this transaction.”