Bell Food Group expands its convenience business area

30.05.2017, Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR

The Bell Food Group is buying the block of Hilcona shares held by the Toni Hilti Family Trust to become the sole owner of the Hilcona Group. The Group is also building a new production plant for convenience products in Austria.

The Bell Food Group is substantially expanding its convenience business area. The Toni Hilti Family Trust (THF) is transferring its stake of 49 % in Hilcona to the Bell Food Group. Hilcona has developed very well and considerably expanded its productivity in the years since the beginning of the cooperation between Bell and THF. The new ownership structure allows for a simplified management organisation and lays the foundation for further expansion and growth. The transaction will be executed retroactively to January 2017, subject to the approval of the relevant competition authorities. The parties have agreed to keep the details of the transaction confidential.

New production plant for convenience products

The Bell Food Group is investing EUR 30 million in the development of a new production plant for convenience products in Marchtrenk in the vicinity of Linz in Austria, offering jobs for some 100 employees. On a newly acquired piece of land, the Bell Food Group will build a production plant designed in accordance with the latest technology that incorporates its entire store of knowledge as one of the leading manufacturers of convenience products in Europe. Logistically speaking, this is an ideal location for such a plant in Austria. Short delivery routes mean that the products will contain a large proportion of regional raw materials. The ground-breaking ceremony is planned for September 2017 and the plant is expected to be commissioned in autumn 2018. With this new production plant, the Bell Food Group wants to take advantage of the growing sales potential offered by the Austrian market.