Lantmännen Unibake adds salt to its bread with Boboli Benelux

Bakery group Lantmännen Unibake has announced the strategic acquisition of Boboli Benelux, a Dutch leader in savoury bakery products.

This acquisition reflects both market trends and strategic priorities: Boboli, the Dutch leader in savoury bakery products (pizzas, focaccias), will serve as "a cornerstone for expansion in this segment," Lantmännen Unibake announced. The company, one of the leading European brands in industrial baking, did not disclose the financial details of the transaction, as is customary.

Boboli employs around 200 people and operates a state-of-the-art factory in Bunschoten, in the province of Utrecht. This will become Lantmännen Unibake's first bakery in the Netherlands, adding to its portfolio of over thirty bakeries in more than a dozen countries, including those in Mouscron and Londerzeel, where the baguette production line is considered the most efficient in the world (at 12,000 baguettes per hour).

With Boboli, "this is an important step forward in expanding our portfolio and strengthening our position in the growing European bake-off market. We are not just adding capacity; we are creating new opportunities for growth, partnerships and long-term leadership in this category," said Carsten Thomsen, President of Lantmännen Unibake, praising Boboli's expertise in baking and refrigeration technologies in particular.

(Over)activity of external growth

The acquisition is the latest in a growing list of strategic moves made in recent months by Swedish agricultural cooperative Lantmännen and its subsidiaries.

In May, the group's Biorefineries division acquired a 10% stake in Sproud , a local producer of plant-based milks made from yellow split peas, with a view to strengthening its presence and expertise in the plant-based protein segment.

In April, Lantmännen increased his stake to just over 50% in the food company SimSuFoodS , which produces dry vegetable products for professional kitchens and the public sector, to be mixed to make, for example, steaks, gratins and falafels.

Finally, in February, the meat and charcuterie division, Scan Sverige, acquired its competitor Lindvalls Chark , a meat company, in order to consolidate its position as the leading company in the sector in Sweden.