Ownership Changes
All updates below are now reflected in our online database.
See this page for a list of changes
discovered after our 2009 printing. Visit this
page to update your print guide page by page.
RED headings indicate Australian-owned
companies or brands becoming foreign-owned.
BLUE headings indicate foreign-owned
companies or brands becoming Australian-owned.
Please send any comments or updates to info@ethical.org.au.
2010
Kraft buys Cadbury
In February 2010 Cadbury, the world’s second largest confectioner, was
bought by Kraft, the world’s second largest food company, for $21 billion.
[more]
2009
Pfizer buys Wyeth
Pfizer Inc. acquired Wyeth in a US$68 billion deal. Wyeth is now a wholly owned
subsidiary of Pfizer, the world's largest research-based pharmaceutical company.
Both companies are based in USA. [more]
Kirin buys Lion Nathan
Japanese brewing giant Kirin bought the 54 per cent of Lion Nathan it didn't
already own in a $3.4 billion deal. Lion Nathan is Australia's #2 brewer, after
Fosters. Kirin recently bought National Foods and Dairy Farmers, and will combine
them with Lion to create Lion Nathan National Foods Pty Ltd, which will be the
largest supplier to Australian supermarkets. [source]
VIP Petfoods buys Bushes
VIP Petfoods' owner Tony Quinn bought the financially troubled Bushes International
brand after it went into receivership. Both companies are Australian owned pet
food makers. [source]
Baiada buys Bartter/Steggles
Baiada, formerly Australia's third largest producer and marketer of chicken
and turkey products, has bought Bartter Enterprises (Steggles), to become Australia's
largest, making Ingham the second largest. To gain ACCC approval, Baiada divested
all assets currently owned by Bartter in Victoria to La Ionica Poultry. [source]
Woolworths buys Macro Wholefoods
Supermarket giant Woolworths will expand its Thomas Dux premium grocery chain
by acquiring Melbourne organic grocery chain Macro Wholefoods. All 8 Macro stores
in Victoria and NSW will be rebranded Thomas Dux.[source]
Nippon Paper Group buys Australian Paper (makers
of Reflex Paper)
Australian paper company PaperlinX has sold it's subsidiary Australian Paper
(including the Maryvale pulp mill in Gippsland), to Japan's Nippon Paper Group,
Inc. for $700 million. [source]
Schweppes Australia sold to Asahi Breweries (Japan) for $1.2 billion
Drinks giant Asahi Breweries has bought Schweppes Australia from Cadbury for
$1.2 billion, in the latest Japanese raid on an Australian food and drinks company.
This is the fourth buy-out of an Australian company by a Japanese brewer in
just over a year, following Kirin's acquisition of Dairy Farmers and National
Foods, and Suntory's successful bid for Frucor. Australia was the last country
where Cadbury maintained a drinks operation. US-based Coca-Cola Company relinquished
its negotiation right regarding the takeover. Asahi Breweries will complete
the deal by the end of April 2009 [source]
Primo buys Hans Smallgoods
Hans Smallgoods has been sold to Australian smallgoods company P&M Smallgoods,
owners of the Primo brand. Hans was placed into receivership by it's previous
owners Japan Tobacco. [source]
2008
Heinz buys Golden Circle
Golden Circle, a 61 year-old Australian company renowned for their canned fruit and vegetables, fruit juice and jam,
was bought by US food giant Heinz in Dec 2008, for $288 million.
[source]
National Foods acquires Dairy Farmers for A$910
million
National Foods (owned by Japanese alcohol and pharmaceuticals giant Kirin)
bought Australian Co-operative Foods, which trades as Dairy Farmers, for A$910
million in Nov 2008. Kirin bought National Foods last year, and already owns
46% of brewer Lion Nathan. National Foods owns the Pura Milk and Berri juice
brands, while Dairy Farmers makes its own branded milk, Coon cheese and Ski
yoghurt. [source]
InBev buys Anheuser-Busch
In Nov 2008, Belgium based brewing giant InBev bought USA brewing giant Anheuser-Busch
for US$52 billion, creating the world's largest brewer with nearly 25% global
market share and one of the world's top five consumer products companies. Brands
include Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck's. [source]
Suntory buys Frucor
Japan's leading producer and distributor of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages,
Suntory, bought Frucor (makers of V energy drinks) from French food and drinks
giant, Danone, in Oct 2008 for NZ$1.3 billion. [source]
Kellogg buys Specialty Cereals
In September 2008, Kellogg Australia bought Specialty Cereals, a privately-owned
cereals manufacturer based in Sydney. Brands include Vogels, Wild Oats, and
Cerevite. Kellogg Australia is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kellogg Company,
USA's #1 cereal producer. [source]
The Real McCoy Snackfood Co buys Arnotts snack
foods
A consortium of investors lead by The Real McCoy Snackfood Co purchased the
snack foods business of Campbells/Arnotts in May 2008. The combined businesses
was renamed “Snack Brands Australia”. The deal brings several brands back to
Australian ownership, including Kettle Chips, Thins, Cheezels, CCs, French Fries
& Samboy. [source]
Cadbury Schweppes plc demerger
On May 7, Cadbury Scweppes plc split into 2 companies, UK based confectionery
makers Cadbury plc, and American soft drink company Dr Pepper Snapple Group,
Inc. [source]
Mars Inc. buys Wrigley's
Mars, backed by billionaire Warren Buffett, has agreed to buy Wm. Wrigley Jr.
Co. for $US23 billion to create the world's biggest candy maker. [source]
Goodman Fielder buys Paradise Food
The largest Australian-owned biscuit manufacturer, Paradise Food Industries
also make the entire Dick Smith range of biscuits. Paradise was bought by Australia's
largest food company, Goodman Fielder, for about $80 million in Mar 2008. [source]
George Weston Foods buys KR Castlemaine
British owned George Weston Foods Ltd bought 100 year old Castlemaine smallgoods company KR Castlemaine [source]
2007
Kraft Foods no longer owned by Altria (Philip Morris)
Kraft Foods was spun off from parent company Altria in March 2007, and is now
an independent publicly held company. The Altria Group and subsidiaries had
been subject to an international Boycott from 1993 due to another of their subsidiaries
being Philip Morris, the largest tobacco company in the world.[source]
Wesfarmers buys Coles Group
Wesfarmers acquired Coles Group Ltd for $22 billion in November 2007.
Wesfarmers now owns Coles, Bi-Lo, Bunnings, Officeworks, Target, Kmart, liquor
retailers (1st Choice Liquor Superstore, Liquorland, Vintage Cellars), fuel
& convenience outlets (Coles Express), online stores (Coles Online, Pharmacy
Direct). Plus other divisions in the areas of coal mining, energy, insurance,
chemicals &fertilisers, and industrial & safety products. [source]
Kirin buys National Foods/Berri from San Miguel
Australia's largest dairy company, National Foods, operates in the milk, dairy
foods and juice production industries. It was taken over by San Miguel, Phillipino
beer giant in 2005, and sold to the Japanese food and drinks giant Kirin Holdings
for $2.8 billion in 2007. Kirin owns 46% of Australia's 2nd largest brewer,
Lion Nathan. [source]
Danone buys Royal Numico
Groupe Danone (France) bought baby formula makers, Royal Numico (the Netherlands)
for US$16.8bn in 2007 [source]
Freedom Nutritional Products buys Norganic
In February 2007, shareholders approved the change of name from So Natural Foods
Australia Ltd to Freedom Nutritional Products Ltd. The Perich Group (NSW's biggest
dairy farmer) own 78% of the company. They acquired Norganic Foods in Oct 2007,
Brunswick Seafoods in 2005, and Paramount Seafoods and Freedom Foods in 2003.
[source]
2006
Nestle Australia buys Uncle Tobys
Food group Burns Philp and Company Ltd sold snack food business Uncle Tobys
to Nestle Australia Ltd for $890 million.
Johnson & Johnson buys Pfizer healthcare division
Pfizer divested its Consumer Health Division to Johnson & Johnson for $22
billion in late 2006. Brands include Listerine, Sudafed, and Benadryl. [source]
L'Oreal buys The Body Shop
In a controversial move, Dame Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, sold the business to french cosmetics giant,
L'Oreal, in March 2006. A boycott has since been called on The Body Shop.[source]
Goodman Fielder buys three bread brands
Goodman Fielder bought Hawlee Nominees, makers of bread brands Country Life
Bakery, Flinders and Early Harvest [source]
Manassen Foods
In April 2006, CHAMP together with existing Manassen Foods Australia shareholders
created a new company, Food Holdings Pty Ltd which acquired Manassen Foods Australia,
Great Southern Foods, King Oscar and Hutchinsons New Zealand. The combined entities
which will continue to trade as Manassen Foods were merged to form Australia’s
leading specialty branded food supplier with over 350 employees and revenues
in excess of A$250 million. Private equity company CHAMP owns 51%. [source]
2005
Procter & Gamble buys Gillette for US$57 billion
Deal creates world’s largest consumer-products company
Reckitt Benckiser plc acquired Boots Healthcare International
Upon completion of the sale Boots Healthcare Australia Pty Ltd changed its name
to Reckitt Benckiser (Australia) Pty Ltd. [source]
Coca-Cola Amatil buys SPC Ardmona
In February 2005, Coca-Cola Amatil's acquisition of SPC Ardmona Pty Ltd was
formallly completed. SPC Ardmona is Australia’s largest producer of packaged
fruit and operates 6 principal brands across the processed fruit, vegetables,
jams and sauces markets. These brands are SPC, Ardmona, Goulburn Valley, IXL,
Southern Cross and Taylor’s.[source]
Smith's Snackfood buys Sakata Rice Snacks Australia
The Smith's Snackfood Company (owned by Pepsico) bought Sakata Rice Snacks Australia.
Under the deal, Smith's has also acquired rights to manufacture, distribute
and market Sakata products worldwide, apart from Japan. [source]
Fonterra buys all of Bonlac, and consolidates
Australian businesses
Bonlac Foods becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of Fonterra (previously Fonterra
owned 50%). Fonterra's three separate brands businesses - formerly known as
Bonland, PB Foods and Murrumbidgee Dairy Products (MDP) - were brought under
the same name, Fonterra Brands Australia, in 2005. [source]
Goodman Fielder refloated on Australian Stock Exchange
Metcash becomes Australian Owned
[source]
Unilever sells John West Foods to Simplot
Ally, John West & Seakist brands of canned fish are now owned by Simplot Australia
[source]
Unilever sells Miracle to Peerless
Unilever sold retail brands of Miracle, Copha, Fairy and Kremelta to Australian
owned company Peerless Holdings. In addition, Unilever brands such as Flora,
Flora Proactiv, Olivio, Bertolli, and Becel are now manufactured by Peerless
for Unilever under a long-term supply contract.[source]
2004
SCA buys Carter Holt Harvey out of Sancella joint venture
In May 2004, SCA acquired Carter Holt Harvey's (CHH) tissue business and the
remaining 50% of the SCA/CCH joint venture, Sancella. These companies now operate
as SCA Hygiene Australasia. Brands include, Sorbent, Tork, Hygenex, Purex, Handee,
Deeko, Treasures, Libra and Tena. [source]
Cambell Brothers sells brands to Colgate Palmolive
In 2004 Campbell sold it's major laundry and detergent brands Hurricane, Love
N Care, Fluffy, Moresoft and Castle to Colgate Palmolive Pty Ltd. [source]
Roche sells consumer health business to Bayer
Roche Consumer Health sold to Bayer for a price of 3.6 billion Swiss francs [source]
Unilever sells Aim, Close-Up and Huggie to Pental
Products
Symex announced that Pental Products, which it wholly owns, had acquired the
rights to toothpaste brands Aim and Close-Up, as well as fabric softener Huggie,
from Unilever for an undisclosed amount.[source]
2003
Unilever sells Brut and Norsca to Pharmacare
Previously owned by Unilever, the two brands were sold to a smaller company,
Pharmacare (Australian Owned), in 2003 as part of Unilever's strategy to pare
down its product portfolio and focus only on a core range of global brands.
[source]
2002
Unilever sells Rosella to Stuart Alexander
[source]
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