By Juveria Tabassum
(Reuters) -Kimberly-Clark said on Monday it will buy Tylenol maker Kenvue in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $48.7 billion, to create one of the biggest consumer health goods companies
in the United States.
Deal-making in the consumer goods industry including food, beverage, personal care, pet products and health, has been robust, with companies seeking consolidation to weather inflationary pressures, shifting consumer preferences, and intensifying competition.
Here's a list of the biggest M&As in the industry over the past few decades:
Date Merger
Dec. Britain's Cadbury Schweppes Plc agreed to buy U.S.
17, sweet maker Adams, owner of Trident and Dentyne
2002 chewing gums and Halls cough drops, for $4.2 billion
from drugmaker Pfizer, making it the world's largest
confectionery group.
Nov. Kraft Foods completes its acquisition of France-based
30, Group Danone's global biscuit business for 5.3 billion
2007 euros ($7.2 billion), including the LU family of
brands, expanding the largest North American food
maker's foothold in Europe and emerging markets.
April Mars created the world's largest confectionary company
29, with its $23 billion acquisition of chewing gum
2008 manufacturer Wm Wrigley Jr Co. Combined, the two
companies held 14.4% of the global confectionary
market in 2006.
Jan. Nestle bought Kraft Foods' North American frozen pizza
5, business for $3.7 billion and ruled out an offer for
2010 Cadbury.
Jan. Kraft Foods bought British candy maker Cadbury for
19, about $19.6 billion, creating the world's biggest
2010 confectioner, marking the largest European food and
beverage deal on record, according to Thomson Reuters
data.
Aug. Kraft Foods said it would spin-off its grocery
4, business to focus on its snacks unit, which was seeing
2011 strong growth in emerging markets.
April Nestle bought U.S. drugmaker Pfizer's infant nutrition
23, business for $11.85 billion, beating out French rival
2012 Danone as both sought to gain a strong foothold in the
baby food market.
Oct. Kraft Foods completes the split of its business,
1, creating two separate companies. Mondelez
2012 International, a global snacks company, and Kraft
Foods Group, which would be the North American grocery
products firm.
July H.J. Heinz Co, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire
2, Hathaway Inc, completed its purchase of Kraft Foods
2015 Group Inc in a $46 billion deal, creating the
third-largest food and beverage company in North
America and fifth largest worldwide.
The new company, Kraft Heinz, was expected to have
about $28 billion of annual revenue from brands such
as Oscar Mayer, Jell-O and Heinz ketchup.
Aug. Mondelez International abandoned its pursuit to
29, acquire Reese's Peanut Butter Cups maker Hersheys
2016 after the company turned down its $23 billion
cash-and-stock offer. The deal would have created the
world's largest confectioner at the time, overtaking
Mars.
Jan. Swiss food group Nestle, also the world's biggest
18, packaged-food company, agreed to sell its U.S.
2018 confectionery business to Italy's Ferrero, maker of
Nutella spread and Ferrero Rocher, for $2.8 billion.
Jan. Keurig Green Mountain struck a deal worth more than
29, $21 billion to combine with soda maker Dr Pepper
2018 Snapple Group Inc to form a North American drinks
company, Keurig Dr Pepper
Feb. Cheerios cereal maker General Mills bought Blue
23, Buffalo Pet Products Inc for nearly $8 billion,
2018 foraying into a fast-growing pet food market to
counter declining sales of processed foods, as
consumers turned more health conscious.
Dec. Nestle SA agreed to sell its U.S. ice cream business
11, to Froneri in a deal valued at $4 billion, moving
2019 control of brands including Häagen-Dazs to a joint
venture the Swiss group set up in 2016.
June Cadbury parent Mondelez International bought energy
21, bar maker Clif Bar & Company for $2.9 billion, as the
2022 company continued to consolidate its global presence.
April Mondelez International broadened its presence in
25, Mexico with a $1.3 billion purchase of breadmaker
2022 Grupo Bimbo's confectionery business, Ricolino.
Dec. Mondelez sold its gum business, which housed brands
19, such as Trident and Dentyne, in developed markets to
2022 European gum and confectionery maker and Mentos parent
Perfetti Van Melle Group for $1.35 billion
March U.S. packaged food maker Campbell Soup completes the
12, acquisition of Rao's Homemade-owner Sovos Brands in a
2024 $2.33-billion deal.
Aug. Snickers-maker Mars buys Pringles owner Kellanova in a
14, nearly $36 billion deal.
2024
Sept. Cheerios maker General Mills sold North America yogurt
12, business to French dairy firms Groupe Lactalis and
2024 Sodiaal in a $2.1 billion deal.
Oct. PepsiCo bought Siete Foods parent Garza Food Ventures
1, for $1.2 billion, beefing up the Frito-Lay owner's
2024 snacking portfolio amid a shift to private-label
brands among cost-conscious consumers.
Dec. General Mills bought Whitebridge Pet Brands' North
21, American premium cat feeding and pet treating
2024 business, which includes Tiki Pets and Cloud Star
brands, for $1.45 billion.
July WK Kellogg agreed to be bought by the owner of Ferrero
10, Rocher in a deal worth around $3.1 billion, as the
2025 cereal maker struggled with weakening consumer demand.
Aug. Keurig Dr Pepper said it will buy Dutch coffee company
25, JDE Peet's for $18.4 billion in cash, and the combined
2025 firm will split its beverages and coffee units as it
looks for a firmer stronghold over the global coffee
and North America refreshment beverages markets.
Nov. Kimberly-Clark said it will buy Tylenol maker Kenvue
3, in a cash-and-stock deal valued at about $48.7
2025 billion, to create one of the biggest consumer health
goods companies in the United States.
Source: Company releases, Reuters articles
(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum, Anshi Sancheti, Sahil Pandey and Puyaan Singh; Editing by Sahal Muhammed and Maju Samuel)
