November 3, 2017
Following merger clearances in Germany and Austria, these brands will now be sold and marketed across Europe by Kraft Heinz.
On October 23, Willkie client The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: KHC) completed the reversion of certain Kraft brands from Mondelēz International (NADAQ: MDLZ) to Kraft Heinz, following merger clearances in Germany (see here) and Austria (see here).
Under the transaction Kraft Heinz re-acquires a number of brands and associated assets which were previously licensed to Mondelēz in certain European territories. The relevant brands include Kraft Ketchup, Kraft Mayonnaise, Bull’s Eye and Legeresse. As a result of the transaction, which included an accelerated termination of certain licenses, these brands will now be sold and marketed across Europe by Kraft Heinz.
The Willkie European Competition team advised The Kraft Heinz Company on the antitrust and merger control aspects of the deal, obtaining unconditional Phase 1 clearance in Germany and Austria. The cross-border team was led by partners Philipp Girardet (London) and Susanne Zuehlke (Brussels) and included associates Philipp Heuser and Rahul Saha.
