HAARLEMMERMEER, THE NETHERLANDS — Perfetti Van Melle Group BV has closed the acquisition of the gum business of Mondelēz International, Inc. in the United States, Canada and Europe, with the exception of Portugal.
First announced in December, the transaction includes the brands Trident, Dentyne, Stimorol, Hollywood, V6, Chiclets, Bubbaloo and Bubbalicious in the United States, Canada and Europe, as well as the European candy brands Cachou Lajaunie, Negro, and La Vosgienne.
The Portugal portion of the business will continue to be owned by Mondelēz pending regulatory clearance from the Portuguese Competition Authority, which the companies said should be forthcoming shortly.
“This acquisition aligns perfectly with our strategic goal of becoming a global leader in gum, our chosen focus,” said Egidio Perfetti, chairman of C+F Confectionery and Foods SA and Perfetti Van Melle Group BV “We expect to further bolster our product portfolio, manufacturing capacity, market distribution and financial results, effectively doubling our size in North America and increasing our reach in Europe serving more consumers with our well-loved brands. With a passion for gum, our strong innovative background and family history, we are very pleased and proud to welcome the new people, brands and plants that have joined us today.”
Also included in the transaction are production facilities in Rockford, Ill., and Skarbimierz, Poland. When the transaction was first announced in December, Mondelēz said it was selling the gum business for approximately $1.35 billion.
Divesting its consistently underperforming gum business allows Mondelēz to advance toward its goal of centering its business on the three core categories of chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks.
“As we continue accelerating growth to become the global snacking leader in chocolate, biscuits and baked snacks, we are pleased to transition our developed market gum business to a global, privately-owned, values-driven company with a strong and proven track record of brand investment and innovation,” said Dirk Van de Put, chairman and chief executive officer of Mondelēz International. “We are incredibly proud of the talented colleagues who made these brands so successful, and we wish them all the best as they join the Perfetti Van Melle team.”
Owned by the Perfetti family originally from Italy, privately-owned Perfetti Van Melle is headquartered in Haarlemmermeer just outside of Amsterdam. The company manufactures and distributes confectionery and chewing gum in more than 150 countries. The company’s other brands include Mentos, Chupa Chups, Alpenliebe, Frisk, Smint, Fruit-tella, Golia, Brooklyn, Vivident, Happydent, Daygum, Vigorsol, Big Babol and Airheads. In 2022 Perfetti Van Melle Group generated net revenues of about €3 billion ($3.18 billion).