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Natra, a manufacturer of cocoa and chocolate products mainly for private label, is merging with Gudrun, producer of Belgian chocolates and truffles, to establish a diversified chocolate platform with a focus on "premium quality", innovation and sustainability.

The combined group will result from Natra acquiring 100% of Gudrun from Down2Earth Capital, which will facilitate the growth and development for both businesses.

Headquartered in Lier, Belgium, Gudrun has been developing and manufacturing "high-quality" chocolates since 1942 for a range of international retailers across multiple markets. The company operates a manufacturing and storage facility in Lier and a packaging and distribution center in Poland.

Natra offers products such as bars, pralines, tablets and spreads in over 90 countries. With more than 1,000 employees across six production plants in Spain, Belgium, France and Canada, Natra's ingredients division also supplies a ride range of cocoa-based ingredients to the international food industry.

Armando Santacesaria, CEO of Natra, said: “Gudrun is a fantastic business and this highly complementary strategic combination will significantly enhance Natra’s premium Belgian chocolate offering, while also allowing Gudrun to capitalise on Natra’s global reach and deep customer relationships. We look forward to welcoming our new Gudrun colleagues on board once the deal completes and working with them to build on their successes to date to drive further innovation and growth.”

Sofie de Lathouwer, CEO of Gudrun, added: “At Gudrun, we are always focused on the growth of our business and our people. Joining Natra marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Gudrun, which will allow us to bring our quality Belgian chocolates to more customers around the world. Natra shares our strong focus on premium quality, innovation and sustainability."

"We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to working with our new colleagues to expand our presence and positioning as a highly valued partner, developer and manufacturer of Belgian chocolates.”

The deal is expected to close in the coming weeks, pending certain conditions.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

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