Group of Butchers acquires Hartmann GmbH
The move would allow Group of Butchers to strengthen its position as an artisan meat producer and would enable it to expand its range of mince-based products, it claimed.
Group of Butchers currently produces high-quality meats to the retail sector for the Dutch and Belgian markets, but will now enter into Germany for the first time.
Despite the acquisition, Hartmann will remain at its 4,000sq m production and administration site in Warendorf-Milte, North Rhine-Westphalia.
The undisclosed deal will be approved subject to approvals from competition authorities.
Group of Butchers CEO Remko Rosman said the German market was an important and extremely interesting proposition for the business.
“Together with the management and highly motivated workforce of Hartmann GmbH, we will now identify and leverage common customer and market opportunities, in order to maintain both our growth strategy in all price segments and sales regions as well as our customers’ high level of satisfaction,” said Rosman.
Group of Butchers has targeted business growth after being acquired by European mid-market private equity investor, Equistone Partners Europe, back in January 2017.
Equistone’s partner Marc Arens, who was responsible for the firm’s investment in Group of Butchers, alongside Maximilian Göppert, said: “Our aim when investing in Group of Butchers was to tap into the company’s potential for further expansion – through both organic growth and strategic acquisitions. With the acquisition of Hartmann GmbH, Group of Butchers has succeeded in taking an important step into the German market. We are pleased to continue supporting the group’s dynamic development.”
Hartmann serves meatballs, patties and chops to the premium and lower-class market segments in Germany and was founded in 1984.
The three siblings selling their shares in the business, Martina Beuker, Christian Hartmann and Maike Hartmann, said that by joining forces with Group of Butchers, they were guaranteeing the continuity of the business, the site and its employees.
“As part of Group of Butchers, we will continue working to produce and sell traditional and innovative meat and mince-based products of proven quality,” they said.
