JUVE-Deal of the Month: Pinsent Masons advises Transgourmet and Dr. Oetker Group on participation in a leading beverage trading platform

A team led by Dr. Thomas Peschke and Dr. Heyo Maas advised F&B - Food and Beverage Services GmbH (FBS), a joint venture of Transgourmet and Dr. Oetker Group, on the acquisition of a majority interest in GEVA Group based in Frechen. FBS already holds a majority stake in Team Beverage, a wholesale platform for gastronomy and beverages. GEVA has thus found a partner who also has comprehensive expertise in the beverage industry for strengthening its business in a market in transition.

GEVA GmbH & Co. KG (GEVA) is a leading service provider for beverage wholesalers and offers a comprehensive range of purchasing and sales-oriented services to its affiliated dealers, particularly in the areas of central regulation, route accounting and national marketing agreements.

The transaction was approved by a large majority of GEVA's current shareholders in mid July. Dr. Oetker/Radeberger Group and Transgourmet Group intend to significantly expand their services in and for the German beverage industry. Both companies have already provided extensive services in the retail and logistics chains between the beverage industry, beverage wholesalers, beverage retailers, restaurants and convenience stores (petrol stations) via the purchasing and sales platform Team Beverage AG, in which FBS holds a majority stake. By establishing the new strategic partnership with GEVA, an even more comprehensive range of solutions for the catering and beverage market is to be created and, among other things, the beverage wholesalers affiliated to GEVA are to be given access to the service modules of Team Beverage Group.

The completion of the transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant antitrust authorities.

The German Transgourmet Group belongs to the Swiss Coop Group and is a leading multi-channel provider in the field of pick-up and delivery wholesale for customers from the gastronomy, hotel, company catering, social facilities, retail and other trades. The umbrella brand includes the specialists "Transgourmet" for delivery, "Selgros Cash & Carry" for collection and "Transgourmet Cash & Carry" as a regional collection format with delivery.

With a total of more than 300 companies, Dr. Oetker Group is one of the largest family-owned companies in Germany. Part of Dr. Oetker Group is Radeberger Group, the largest private brewery group and one of the largest beverage wholesalers in Germany.

Dr. Thomas Peschke and Dr. Heyo Maas have been advising on company acquisitions by Transgourmet for ten years and have also accompanied the establishment of the joint venture between Transgourmet and Dr. Oetker/Radeberger Group. There, they have been able to win the confidence of the Dr. Oetker/Radeberger Group, which in the past has largely covered such acquisitions in-house. Two years after its foundation, FBS has now become active in acquisitions for the first time.

Recently, the transaction was also mentioned in the legal magazine "JUVE Rechtsmarkt" and awarded "Deal of the Month" in August 2019.