Orkla ASA: to acquire Austrian Bioquelle

Oslo / NO. (ok) Orkla Foods, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Felix Austria GmbH, has entered into an agreement to acquire 100 percent of the shares in the Austrian company Bioquelle GmbH. Bioquelle holds strong positions in Austria in categories such as muesli, nuts, dried fruits, health and organic foods, as well as distribution of soy based products.

«With the acquisition of Bioquelle Orkla Foods will broaden its product portfolio and strengthen its position in the breakfast and health categories. This acquisition is strategically important as it enables Orkla Foods to build a stronger presence in growing segments such as organic food and soy based products», says Atle Vidar Nagel-Johansen, EVP and CEO of Orkla Foods.

The main markets of Bioquelle are Austria and Slovenia. The company reported net sales of 18 million EUR (164 million NOK) and an Ebitda of approximately 0.7 million EUR (5.9 million NOK) in 2014. About one third of its revenues is generated by Bioquelle´s brands. In addition, Bioquelle has a distribution agreement for soy-based products under the Alpro brand.

Bioquelle has around 50 employees and its headquarter and production facilities are located in Steyr, Austria. The company was founded in 1926, and is currently owned by Klaus and Ingrid Lösch. The agreement is subject to the approval of the Austrian competition authorities.