PepsiCo divestment enables Camil Alimentos to grab big bite of Brazilian biscuit market

26-Aug-2022 - Last updated on 26-Aug-2022 at 12:05 GMT

Toddy is Brazil’s second largest cookie brand, while Mabel is one of the country’s most traditional cookie brands with roots back to 1953. Pic: Camil Alimentos

Related tags Camil Alimentos Pepsico Latin america Biscuits

PepsiCo Brazil has agreed to sell a batch of cookie and cracker brands, two local factories and their 800-strong workforce to the Brazilian food manufacturer for $29.8m; Camil Alimentos SA’s latest bolt-on in a year studded with acquisitions to enter new markets and expand into new categories.

Founded in 1963, Camil has grown into one of the largest food producers in Latin America, with a footprint in Brazil, Uruguay, Chile, Peru and Ecuador, and a diversified portfolio in the grain, sugar, pasta, rice and fish categories.

The Sao Paulo-based company has 33 processing units and 20 distribution centres in South America, with a workforce edging over 7,000 people.

Brazil’s best-selling biscuit brands

It is now extending that reach with the acquisition of PepsiCo’s CIPA Industrial Food Products and CIPA Nordeste Industrial de Produtos Alimentares, which includes facilities in Aparecida de Goiânia and Itaporanga D’Ajuda, along with 800 staff.

It also gives Camil a big chunk of the BRL 23.75m ($4.64m) Brazilian biscuit market (GlobalData, 2020), with the snap-up of some of the country’s best-selling biscuit brands, including Mabel, Doce Vida, Mirabel, Elbi’s and Pavesino. In addition, Camil said it has signed a 10-year licensing contract with PepsiCo to produce Toddy chocolate chip cookies - the second largest cookie brand in Brazil - along with its production line.

In a filing on 24 August, Camil revealed the deal amounted to BRL 152.8m ($29.8m).

Gains in scale and greater expertise

It builds on an aggressive growth strategy Camil began in July 2021.

“In just over a year, we have made five acquisitions that have allowed us – in addition to entering new countries such as Ecuador – to expand our business in three different categories with high added value and brands that are recognised by consumers: coffee, pasta and healthy products in Uruguay, with Silcom,” said Luciano Quartiero, CEO of Camil Alimentos.

“This will be our sixth transaction announced, which includes the company’s entry into the cookies and crackers category in Brazil.

“The diversity of businesses increases the operating synergy of our business model, allowing for gains in scale and greater expertise in different models of distribution, supplies and trade marketing.”

The transaction is subject to approval from the Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), Brazil’s competition body.