Bakkersland Sells Confectionery Division to Gilde

Bakkersland’s Works council has been consulted about the takeover. The Dutch Competition Authority will be asked for approval.

Bakkersland Banket was founded in 2000 as a separate division of Bakkersland, to manage all confectionery activities. In 2001, it acquired Wafel Janssen in Nuth followed by the acquisition of Neerlandia in Bunschoten in 2004. As from the start in 2000, Bakkersland Banket has operated as an independent division with only a limited synergy with Bakkersland’s fresh bakery products division. Early 2007, Bakkersland’s board of directors decided to fully focus on the market for fresh bakery products, and to sell its confectionery division. With Gilde as new shareholder, Bakkersland Banket’s management is confident that it is able to realise its growth ambitions and to further strengthen its market position. Bakkersland was advised by Rabo Securities.

Bakkersland Banket

Bakkersland Banket is the Dutch market leader for long-life confectionery. The company’s product range includes caramel wafers, soft wafers, sponge cake, almond rounds, butter cake and seasonal confectionery for the Dutch retail and foodservice channels and various export markets. Bakkersland Banket has six bakeries in the Netherlands (in Bunschoten, Gorredijk, Moordrecht, Nuth, Ouderkerk a/d IJssel and Oud-Gastel), with its head office located in Montfoort. In 2006, Bakkersland Banket realised a turnover of around EUR 80 million. The company employs around 380 employees.

Bakkersland Groep

Bakkersland is the Dutch market leader for fresh bakery products. Bakkersland supplies fresh bread (baked daily), specialities, part-baked products (home-bake and in-store) and pastries to the Dutch food retail and food service market. In addition, Bakkersland’s exports mainly involve part-baked bread. Bakkersland has 16 industrial bakeries in the Netherlands, with its head office in Hedel. Over 2006, Bakkersland realised a turnover of EUR 365 million, with around 2,100 employees. It recently purchased bakery Zaaier in Helmond.

About Gilde

Gilde is a renowned European private equity firm with multiple funds under management, in excess of EUR 1.7 billion. The investment in Bakkersland Banket will be made from the recently raised Gilde Equity Management (GEM) Benelux fund. This EUR 150 million fund is focused on realizing smaller mid market buy-outs in the Benelux. Since its foundation, Gilde has invested in more than 250 businesses, with a strong focus and track record in conducting transactions in the food industry. Examples of investments by Gilde in the food industry include Royal Peijnenburg, Bakker Bart, Inversco, Heiploeg and Ad van Geloven.

For more information, please contact:

• Bakkersland Groep, Walter Kluit, General Manager, tel. +31 (0)73 599 0800
• Gilde, Gerhard Nordemann, Managing Partner, tel. +31 (0)30 219 25 55