Capabilities by Industry: Consumer Goods & Retail
Greenhill has considerable transaction experience and a global network of corporate relationships in the Consumer Goods & Retail sector. Our Managing Directors and professionals in North America, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Australia and Japan have executed many of the most significant and complex transactions for some of the leading companies in the industry.
Our expertise in the Consumer Goods and Retail industry covers: food; specialty ingredients; agricultural commodities; beverage; tobacco; household and personal care; consumer health; grocery retail; apparel; specialty retail; e-commerce; foodservice; and restaurants.
Below we highlight a few of the transactions on which we have advised in this area:
Recent Transactions
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Nutrition & Biosciences Division of DuPont de Nemours, Inc.
Advising IFF, a global leader in flavors and fragrances, on its merger with DuPont’s Nutrition & Biosciences Division, creating a clear global leader in the specialty ingredients sector
Alliance Boots plc
Advised Alliance Boots plc, the leading international pharmacy-led health and beauty group, on a proposal regarding an offer for the company from a consortium comprising of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. Ltd. and Stefano Pessina
Gallaher Group plc
Advised Gallaher Group plc, the world’s fifth largest tobacco company, on a recommended cash offer from Japan Tobacco Inc
Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc.
Advised the Affiliated Transaction Committee of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. on the sale of its North American bottling operations to The Coca-Cola Company and on its concurrent acquisition of The Coca-Cola Company’s bottling operations in the Nordic region
Novartis AG’s 36.5% stake in Consumer Health Joint Venture
Advised and acted as sponsor to GlaxoSmithKline plc, the UK’s leading pharmaceutical company, on the buyout of Novartis’ 36.5% stake in their Consumer Health Joint Venture
Ralston Purina Co.
Advised Nestlé on the agreed cash offer for the US pet-food company Ralston Purina
Tesco plc’s Thailand and Malaysia businesses
Advised Tesco plc, a leading UK retailer, on the sale of its Thailand and Malaysia businesses to Charoen Pokphand Group, the Thai conglomerate
Diageo plc
Advised Diageo on the sale of The Pillsbury Company for $5.1 billion in assumed debt and $5.4 billion in stock to General Mills.
Safeway Inc.
Advised the Board of Directors of Safeway Inc., a leading food and drug retailer, on its acquisition by Albertsons
Seagram
(Spirits Division)
Advised Diageo on its joint agreed bid with Pernod Ricard for Seagram’s spirits business.
AA Limited
Advised the management buy-in team on the acquisition by leading institutional investors of AA Limited from Acromas and simultaneous listing on the London Stock Exchange
Frutarom
Advised IFF, a leading innovator of specialty ingredients, on its acquisition of Frutarom, creating a global leader in Taste, Scent and Nutrition
Wella AG
Advised Wella AG, a global market leader in hair care and fragrances, on its sale to The Procter & Gamble Company
Target Corporation’s REDcard credit card assets
Advised The Toronto-Dominion Bank Group on its acquisition of Target Corporation’s REDcard credit card assets
Lion Nathan
Advised Lion Nathan, a leading brewery in Australia, on the sale of its remaining 54% stake to Kirin Holdings, a leading beverage company in Japan
Acreage Holdings Inc.
Advised Canopy Growth, a leading diversified cannabis company, on its acquisition of Acreage Holdings Inc., a vertically-integrated multi-state cannabis company with its headquarters in New York
Booker Group plc
Advised Tesco plc, the UK’s leading retailer, on its merger with Booker Group plc, the UK’s leading food wholesaler, to create the UK’s leading food business
Assets owned by GlaxoSmithKline plc
Advised GlaxoSmithKline plc, the UK listed international pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare company, on the divestment of Horlicks and other consumer healthcare nutrition brands to Unilever plc, and on the merger of GSK Consumer Healthcare Limited with Hindustan Unilever Limited
Common shares and common share purchase warrants in Canopy Growth
Advised Canopy Growth on a C$5bn investment by Constellation Brands. As consideration for the investment, Constellation received newly issued Canopy common shares and common share purchase warrants
SUPERVALU, Inc.
Advised SUPERVALU, a leading food retailer, on the sale of its New Albertsons, Inc. subsidiary to an investor group led by Cerberus Capital Management L.P. In addition to the sale, Greenhill also advised the Company on a simultaneous equity tender offer by Cerberus for up to a 30% stake in pro forma SUPERVALU
Debenhams plc
Advised the independent committee of the Board of Directors of Debenhams plc, a leading UK department store chain, with regards to the sale of the company
InSinkErator (Emerson Electric)
Advised Whirlpool Corporation on its announced acquisition of InSinkErator, the world’s largest manufacturer of food waste disposers and instant hot water dispensers for home and commercial use from Emerson Electric for cash consideration of $3.0 billion
Wendy's International, Inc.
Advised the special committee of the board of directors in connection with its merger with Triarc Companies, Inc., the operator of the Arby’s franchise. The combined systems will have approximately 10,000 restaurant units and pro forma annual system sales of approximately $12.5 billion, positioning it as the nation’s third largest quick service restaurant company
The Timberland Corporation
Advised VF Corporation, a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel on its acquisition of The Timberland Company, a leading outdoor footwear and apparel company
Nordstrom, Inc. (Credit Card Assets)
Advised The Toronto-Dominion Bank Group on its acquisition of Nordstrom, Inc.’s credit card assets