Lamb Weston/Meijer has acquired the potato division of Dutch food manufacturer Oerlemans Foods, including a takeover of its Broekhuizenvorst plant in the Netherlands.
The acquisition, which is expected to be completed later this year, will enable Lamb Weston/Meijer to expand its production capacity by 85,000 tons and cater to the increasing demand for frozen potato products in Europe.
In November, the company inaugurated a €120 million production facility in Bergen op Zoom, in the Netherlands, to help it keep pace with rising demand. The plant benefitted from a new production line and a complete renovation of the rest of the factory, allowing it to process potatoes ‘more effectively and sustainably’.
The sale will also allow Oerlemans Foods to focus solely on frozen fresh fruit and vegetable, building on its strong positioning in its domestic market and accelerating its growth aspirations in and outside Europe.
Lamb Weston/Meijer CEO Bas Albas said: “The diverse customer base of Oerlemans Foods’ potato division, and the location of its factory in Broekhuizenvorst, makes this a key strategic asset to further shape and help develop Lamb Weston/Meijer’s growth ambitions and those of our customers.”
The Oerlemans Foods plant will complement Lamb Weston/Meijer’s network of current locations in the Netherlands, and increase its total number of production sites to four. The Broekhuizenvorst plant is located in Limburg in one of the southern-most parts of the Netherlands, and 18km north of Venlo.
Lamb Weston/Meijer is the Dutch-based European joint venture between North American potato company Lamb Weston and Meijer.
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