Daily Newsletter

15 January 2024

Daily Newsletter

15 January 2024

Grupo Bimbo snaps up gluten-free bakery company Amaritta in Spain

The Mexican group said it will continue investing in the gluten-free category.

Eszter Racz

Mexico’s Grupo Bimbo has acquired Spain-based gluten-free bakery company, Amaritta.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

“With the acquisition of Amaritta, we incorporate a very relevant company in the gluten-free bread segment, which allows us to add this product into our portfolio and continue investing in this category,” the company said in a statement sent to Just Food.

“As the largest bakery company in the world, it is essential that we adapt to the demands of all our consumers, including those who have very specific needs."

Grupo Bimbo described Amaritta as having a “leadership” position in the gluten-free bakery category in Spain.

Amaritta declined to comment on the deal when contacted by Just Food.

Based in Córdoba, Amaritta has 2,000 square metres of manufacturing space with the “capacity to manufacture 10m units of gluten-free product”, according to its website.

Grupo Bimbo has brands in Spain such as Ortiz, Takis and Silueta. Before the deal for Amaritta, the most recent acquisition Bimbo had disclosed it had made in Spain was its purchase of a factory from local group Cerealto Siro Foods in 2021.

In 2022, Bimbo sold the Spanish popcorn brand Pop Up to local snacks manufacturer Grupo Apex.

Bimbo’s most recent acquisition worldwide was in October when it snapped up smaller US peer Mile Hi Bakery.

In September, the company made its largest investment in Argentina since entering the country almost three decades ago. It invested $100m in a new production line for bread at its facility in Pilar in Buenos Aires Province.

The company reported its third-quarter results in October. Net sales fell 3.5% to 99.18bn Mexican pesos ($5.8bn today).

Operating income dropped 11.4% to 9.75bn Mexican pesos, or by 4.6% excluding foreign exchange. Net majority income was down 31% at 4.18bn Mexican pesos and by 27.5% when currency fluctuations were stripped out.

Fourth-quarter numbers are due on 19 February.

Complex processes and high production costs could limit market growth for vegan cheese

The global vegan cheese market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 16.7% by 2030, primarily driven by the rise in the vegan and vegetarian population. However, its production often involves complex processes and expensive ingredients like nuts or plant-based proteins, leading to higher production costs, which are then passed on to consumers, making vegan cheese more expensive per unit compared to dairy cheese.

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