Délifrance is looking to sell its UK viennoiserie business as a remedy to resolve concerns raised from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) over its acquisition by Vandemoortele.
The competition watchdog revealed it was proposing to accept the remedies offered by the companies following its investigation into the deal, which is set to create a global bakery player with an estimated turnover of €2.4bn (£2bn).
Belgian family-owned food group Vandemoortele and Délifrance, part of French grain cooperative Vivescia, each supply frozen viennoiserie products such as croissants and pain au chocolat to supermarket and foodservice customers, noted the CMA. These customers bake the products in-house bakeries and sell or serve them to end-consumers.
The CMA had launched its merger inquiry on 10 October, with a decision from its phase 1 investigation announced on 8 December. It found that the deal would lead to Vandemoortele becoming the largest supplier of frozen viennoiserie products in the UK by a considerable margin, which could result in a substantial lessening of competition and potentially leading to higher prices passed onto British shoppers.
To resolve the CMA’s concerns, the companies have offered to divest Délifrance’s UK viennoiserie business along with its bakeries in Avignon and Béthune in France, which the CMA said have the capacity to supply all of the frozen viennoiserie products that Délifrance currently supplies into the UK market.
“By offering to sell the relevant Délifrance UK business together with two production facilities to an approved purchaser, we believe this will protect choice and maintain quality, helping ease the pressure on businesses and the households they serve,” commented Sorcha O’Carroll, senior director for mergers at the CMA.
In addition, the offer to sell the Avignon and Béthune sites has recently received approval from the European Commission, which had also previously expressed anti-competition concerns about the transaction after an investigation.
More details on the remedies offered are to be published by the CMA in due course.
British Baker has reached out to Délifrance for comment on the sale of its UK business. It produces viennoiserie at its manufacturing site in Wigston, Leicestershire, which underwent a £4m expansion back in 2018 amidst its 30th anniversary of UK operations. The company also runs a factory in Southall, west London, producing rustic breads, baguettes, rolls, and sourdough loaves.
Founded in France in 1978, Délifrance operates 14 production sites across Europe and Asia, employing 3,450 staff in total and producing around two billion viennoiserie items per year. It supplies pastries, bread, pâtisserie and savoury products for foodservice providers, bakers and retailers in 100 countries worldwide.
Ghent-headquartered Vandemoortele was established in 1899, and supplies frozen bakery products like croissants and breads as well as plant-based ingredients such as margarines, oils, and fats for the retail and foodservice sectors.
The acquisition follows a similar story to that of Greencore’s takeover bid for fellow food-to-go giant Bakkavor. The CMA accepted Greencore’s proposed sale of its chilled soup and sauce factory in Bristol last month, and has since confirmed 16 January 2026 as the expected date of completion for the deal set to create a £4bn business.
The CMA also recently announced it is to wrap up its phase 1 investigation into Associated British Foods’ proposed purchase of bread brand Hovis on 19 February 2026.
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