Belgium miller Dossche Mills to acquire Rotterdam-based Meneba

The two companies are leading players in the grain markets of Belgium and the Netherlands, and together, will create a group that that will generate a turnover of €350m ($406m), employing almost 500 staff and milling around 1.2m tons of wheat.

Dossche Mills – part of the family-owned Dossche food products group – produces flour, farina and multigrain mixes for bread and pastry bakeries, and the biscuit and food sectors.

In 2016, it recorded a turnover of more than €140m ($162m) with 250 staff operating production facilities in Antwerp, Deinze and Renesse in the Netherlands.

Meneba also produces speciality grain products, and has facilities in Rotterdam and Wormerveer in the Netherlands, as well as at its Meneba-Taelman division in Bossuit, Belgium.

According to Dossche Mills CEO Kristof Dossche, the acquisition will allow his mill to serve its customers in the Benelux area, Germany and France more efficiently and put both companies in a stronger position to export flour outside the EU.

“With this takeover, our customers can expect to see a broader product range, combined technical support and product development, and efficient logistics,”​ said Dossche.

Getting to know you

“Once we have authorization from the Meneba Works Council and anti-trust authorities, both companies need to get to know each other better before we can start integrating or planning further,” ​he added.

André van der Padt, CEO of Meneba, said this acquisition will safeguard his company’s future.

“With our combined knowledge, I am happy that we will be able to serve our customers even more effectively, throughout the Benelux area and beyond,”​ he said.

The acquisition is subject to the approval of the Meneba Works Council and the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).