Bell Food Group expands Convenience business area

The Bell Food Group is significantly expanding its Convenience business area. Toni Hilti Familientreuhänderschaft (THF) is transferring its 49% stake in Hilcona to the Bell Food Group. Hilcona has developed very well in the years since the start of the cooperation between Bell and THF and has significantly expanded its performance. The new ownership structure enables a simplified management organization and creates the conditions for expansion and further growth. The transaction will take retroactive effect from January 2017, subject to the approval of the relevant competition authorities. The parties have agreed not to disclose the terms of the transaction.

The Bell Food Group is investing around EUR 30 million in a new production facility for convenience products with around 100 employees in Marchtrenk near Linz in Austria. A state-of-the-art production plant is being built on a newly acquired site, to which the Bell Food Group will contribute its entire know-how as one of Europe's leading convenience manufacturers. The chosen site offers an ideal logistical location with short delivery routes within Austria. Among other things, this enables the use of a high proportion of regional raw materials. The ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for September 2017 and commissioning is expected to take place in autumn 2018. The Bell Food Group intends to use the new production facility to tap into the growing sales and market potential in Austria.