Mandate Vinge acts as lead counsel to Orkla in connection with its acquisition of Cederroth

Vinge advises and has acted as lead counsel for Orkla ASA in connection with its acquisition of the hygiene- and health care company Cederroth Intressenter AB. The sellers are funds managed by CapMan and Litorina, together with senior management and other minority shareholders. The purchase price is SEK 502 million, thus valuing the entire Cederroth group (on a debt-free basis) at SEK 2,015 million. The transaction is subject to the approval of the relevant competition authorities and is expected to be completed no later than Q3 2015.

Orkla is a leading supplier of branded consumer goods and concept solutions to the grocery, out-of-home and bakery markets in the Nordics, the Baltics and selected markets in Central Europe and India. Orkla is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange and has its head office in Oslo. In 2013, the Group had a turnover of NOK 33 billion and approximately 17,000 employees at year-end.

Cederroth has a product portfolio of well established brands such as LdB, Asan, Bliw, HTH, Salvequick, LongoVital, Multiplex, Samarin, Allévo and Grumme. The group has approximately 850 employees and four factories located in Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Spain. In 2013, Cederroth achieved a turnover of SEK 1,984 million, and EBITDA of SEK 194 million.

Vinge’s work has, in addition to advise in relation to Swedish matters, also comprised managing and co-ordinating the following counsel in jurisdictions outside of Sweden: Clifford Chance (Poland), J&A Garrigues (Spain), Plesner (Denmark), Selmer (Norway) and Roschier (Finland).

Vinge’s team consists of responsible partner Carl Gustaf De Geer, partner and project manager Peter Sundgren and associates Maria Dahlin, Andrea Jägerstad and Samra Baytar. Partners Kristian Hugmark and Johan Karlsson as well as, among others, associates Helena Höök, Emil Fahlén Godö and Anne Wijkman are advising on competition law issues. The team has furthermore consisted of, among others, associates Malin Buch, Isabell Nielsen and Adriana Berglund (commercial agreements), Per Nydén (employment & benefits) Rebecka Weitzberg (intellectual property), Louise Berkelius (IT & outsourcing), Matilda Gustafsson (environment), Sofia Ekdahl (real estate), Oscar Rydén (banking & finance) and partner Karin Grauers and associate Linn Gustavsson (corporate risk & compliance).