CEE: Schoenherr advises AGRANA on joint venture with INGREDION for development of starch production in Romania

Schoenherr's services included legal advice on corporate/M&A matters in connection with the negotiation and signing of the joint venture agreement. The firm's competition, EU and foreign trade team has been retained to assist with merger clearance and foreign direct investment (FDI) screening. The joint venture has recently obtained clearance for the transaction from all applicable international regulatory authorities, including the European antitrust body.  

"We congratulate the parties on the start of their collaboration and are glad to have helped lay its legal groundwork," said Schoenherr partner Markus Piuk, who led the team advising AGRANA in this transaction.

AGRANA converts agricultural raw materials into high-quality foodstuffs and a wide range of industrial primary products. Around 9,000 employees at 50 production sites worldwide generate annual group revenue of approximately EUR 3.5bln. The company was founded in 1988 and is the global market leader in fruit preparations and the world's leading producer of apple and berry juice concentrates, as well as a major producer of customised potato, corn and wheat starch products and bioethanol in the starch segment. AGRANA is the leading sugar producer in Central and Eastern Europe.

INGREDION Germany GmbH is active in the development and production of various specialty starches that are used as functional ingredients in the production of a wide range of foods. INGREDION Germany GmbH is part of Ingredion Incorporated group of companies, a global provider of ingredient solutions. The INGREDION Incorporated group of companies produces starches, sweeteners and other ingredients from renewable raw materials such as corn, tapioca and the stevia plant, and supplies customers in the food and beverage, pet food, pharmaceutical and paper industries.

The Schoenherr team advising AGRANA in this transaction was led by Markus Piuk (partner) and Silviu Lazăr (senior attorney at law) and included Simona Lehniuc (managing attorney at law) and Catrinel Ghinea (associate). Real estate matters were handled by Mădălina Mitan (partner), Liviu Flușcă (senior attorney at law) and Alexandra Huza (senior attorney at law), while employment law aspects were covered by Mara Moga-Paler (partner). A competition, EU & foreign trade team led by Hanno Wollmann (partner) advised on merger control filing with the European Commission, merger control with national authorities in Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Ukraine, as well as FDI screening in Romania. The competition team included Evelin Hlina (counsel), Helene Ecker (associate), Danijel Stevanović (partner), Zoran Kobal (associate), Georgiana Bădescu (partner), Cristiana Manea (managing attorney at law) and Sabina Aionesei (attorney at law).