The trend in the acquisitions The market for food and beverage companies has been clearly bullish, with more than 5,500 rounds of financing worldwide and raising, in total, more than $58.6 billion.
Although the number of funding rounds in each of the last years analysed (2017 and 2018) has been similar, in terms of funding raised, 2018 saw a record high in the sector, with $10.6 billion invested in just one year.
This is because the rounds launched in 2018 were much more significant in value than those conducted in the previous year. For example, the company Magnit attracted USD 2.45 billion in equity investment in the same year, and Starbucks received $900 million.
In terms of acquisitions, han sido 1.820 las compañías del sector que han adquirido otras empresas, frente a las 527 empresas del sector que han sido adquiridas.
Most active acquirers in the Food & Beverage sector
Las empresas más activas en acquisitions han sido grandes multinacionales como por ejemplo Coca Cola, Unilever y las compañías de comida a domicilio Bite Squad y Just Eat.
The Coca Cola Company ha adquirido un total de 13 compañías en los últimos años, entre ellas algunas de gran relevancia internacional, como la cadena de cafeterías Costa Coffee, la marca de zumos y bebidas de soja AdeS y la empresa fabricante de refrescos Tropico.
Con el mismo número de adqusiciones está la firma Bite Squad, que ha adquirido en los últimos cinco años las empresas FoodNow y DoorStep, entre otras.
Unilever suma 10 acquisitions, entre las que se encuentran las marcas de alimentación saludable Horlicks and Graze.
Most relevant acquisitions in the sector
One of the most talked-about deals in the food and beverage sector was the acquisition of Whole Foods by Amazon in June 2017, for a total value of $13.7 billion.
Another major acquisition was that of the US bakery and coffee shop chain Panera Breads by the German conglomerate JAB Holding Company for USD 7.2 billion.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that Patron Spirits was acquired by Bacardi 5.1 billion in January 2018.