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EU approves ADM/Olam deal

The European Commission has announced that it has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of the cocoa business of ADM of the United States by Olam of Singapore. Olam is a global commodity merchant and processing company specialised in cocoa, coffee, nuts, rice and cotton. ADM’s cocoa business trades cocoa beans and produces […]

The European Commission has announced that it has approved, under the EU Merger Regulation, the acquisition of the cocoa business of ADM of the United States by Olam of Singapore. Olam is a global commodity merchant and processing company specialised in cocoa, coffee, nuts, rice and cotton. ADM’s cocoa business trades cocoa beans and produces cocoa semi-finished products. The companies’ activities overlap in the markets for the procurement and supply of cocoa beans, and the supply of cocoa liquor, butter and powder. The Commission concluded that the proposed acquisition would raise no competition concerns, given the companies’ moderate combined market positions and the presence of a number of strong players supplying beans and cocoa products in the European Economic Area (EEA). The transaction was examined under the normal merger review procedure.