Redcliffe Partners has acted as Ukrainian law counsel to Grupo Bimbo, the world’s largest baker and distributor of baked goods, in connection with its USD 650 million acquisition of the foodservice-focused company East Balt Bakeries from private equity fund One Equity Partners. White & Case, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, and Morgan Lewis acted as international legal counsel to Grupo Bimbo. Baker McKenzie advised One Equity Partners on the deal.
According to Redcliffe Partners, "with the acquisition of 21 bakeries in 11 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia, Grupo Bimbo intends to expand into the global high-growth foodservice sector by opening in eight new markets. The transaction is expected to close in the second-half of 2017, once regulatory approvals are obtained."
Redcliffe Partners' work on the transaction included conducting due diligence of the Ukrainian assets of the target company, advising on corporate and competition law matters, and reviewing relevant documentation. The firm's team on the project was led by Counsel Zoryana Sozanska-Matviychuk and included Junior Associates Yulia Brusko, Victoria Ivasechko, Olga Kozachenko, Anatoliy Doludenko, and Viktoria Shevchuk. Counsel Anastasia Usova advised on competition law.
The Baker McKenzie team advising One Equity Partners included Michael Fieweger, Steven Schneider, John Eichelberger, Christopher Guldberg, Kuif Klein Wassnik, and Dimitri Marchan. Baker has confirmed that several of its CEE offices worked on the deal as well.
Editor's Note: This article has been revised to reflect new information received about Baker McKenzie's work on the deal.
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