Press Release: Mergers: Commission approves acquisition of hazelnut company Oltan by Ferrero

The European Commission on the 12 September 2014 cleared under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of the hazelnuts trading and processing company Oltan by Ferrero International S.A. of Luxembourg. Ferrero is a rival of Oltan, through Stelliferi, in the procurement and supply of hazelnuts and, at the same time, a customer of Oltan. The Commission concluded that the transaction would not raise any competition concerns, in particular because the merged entity will continue to face sufficiently strong competition after the merger and customers will still have sufficient alternative suppliers in all markets concerned.