Estonia: Maag Grupp’s acquisition of HKScan’s Baltic business approved

The Estonian Competition Authority (Konkurentsiamet) has approved Finnish meat processing group HKScan’s sale of its Baltic businesses to Estonia’s Maag Grupp, LSM reports. However, Maag Grupp will have to sell two of its major food brands, Rannamõisa and Rannarootsi Lihatööstus, ERR reports. Under the deal signed in December 2022, Maag Grupp will acquire HKScan’s Rakvere and Tallegg brands in Estonia, Jelgava and Rigas Miesnieks brands in Latvia, and Klaipedos Maistas brand in Lithuania for EUR 90mn. Latvia’s Competition Council approved the transaction in February 2023. HKScan’s Baltic units generated net sales of EUR 195.7mn in 2022, which was up from EUR 170.0mn in 2021. The group has around 1,500 employees in the three countries, where it has operated since 1998.