Factbox: Big-ticket mergers in the packaged food space over the years

Kellanova

25/08/2025 10:17

Updates first paragraph to add Keurig Dr Pepper

By Juveria Tabassum

Aug 25 (Reuters) - Keurig Dr Pepper KDP.O said on Monday it will buy Dutch coffee company JDE Peet's JDEP.AS for $18.4 billion at a time when the highly competitive global coffee industry grapples with steep commodity costs, and people look for healthier sodas.

     Deal-making in the packaged food industry has been robust, with companies looking for consolidation and help to weather inflationary pressures and shifting consumer preferences.

Here's a list of the biggest M&As in the industry over the past few decades:

Date
Merger
Dec. 17 2002
Britain's Cadbury Schweppes Plc agreed to buy U.S. sweet maker Adams, owner of Trident and Dentyne chewing gums and Halls cough drops, for $4.2 billion from drugmaker Pfizer PFE.N, making it the world's largest confectionery group.
Nov. 30, 2007
Kraft Foods completes its acquisition of France-based Group Danone's global biscuit business for 5.3 billion euros ($7.2 billion), including the LU family of brands, expanding the largest North American food maker's foothold in Europe and emerging markets.
April 29, 2008
Mars created the world's largest confectionary company with its $23 billion acquisition of chewing gum manufacturer Wm Wrigley Jr Co. Combined, the two companies held 14.4% of the global confectionary market in 2006.
Jan. 5, 2010
Nestle bought Kraft Foods' North American frozen pizza business for $3.7 billion and ruled out an offer for Cadbury.
Jan. 19, 2010
Kraft Foods bought British candy maker Cadbury for about $19.6 billion, creating the world's biggest confectioner, marking the largest European food and beverage deal on record, according to Thomson Reuters data.
Aug. 4, 2011
Kraft Foods said it would spin-off its grocery business to focus on its snacks unit, which was seeing strong growth in emerging markets.
April. 23, 2012
Nestle bought U.S. drugmaker Pfizer's infant nutrition business for $11.85 billion, beating out French rival Danone as both sought to gain a strong foothold in the baby food market.
Oct. 1, 2012
Kraft Foods completes the split of its business, creating two separate companies. Mondelez International, a global snacks company, and Kraft Foods Group, which would be the North American grocery products firm.
July 2, 2015
H.J. Heinz Co, backed by Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc, completed its purchase of Kraft Foods Group Inc in a $46 billion deal, creating the third-largest food and beverage company in North America and fifth largest worldwide.
The new company, Kraft Heinz KHC.O, was expected to have about $28 billion of annual revenue from brands such as Oscar Mayer, Jell-O and Heinz ketchup.
Aug. 29, 2016
Mondelez International abandoned its pursuit to acquire Reese's Peanut Butter Cups maker Hersheys HSY.N after the company turned down its $23 billion cash-and-stock offer. The deal would have created the world's largest confectioner at the time, overtaking Mars.
Jan. 18, 2018
Swiss food group Nestle, also the world's biggest packaged-food company, agreed to sell its U.S. confectionery business to Italy's Ferrero, maker of Nutella spread and Ferrero Rocher, for $2.8 billion.
Jan. 29, 2018
Keurig Green Mountain struck a deal worth more than $21 billion to combine with soda maker Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc to form a North American drinks company, Keurig Dr Pepper KDP.N
Feb. 23, 2018
Cheerios cereal maker General MillsGIS.N bought Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc for nearly $8 billion, foraying into a fast-growing pet food market to counter declining sales of processed foods, as consumers turned more health conscious.
Dec. 11, 2019
Nestle SA agreed to sell its U.S. ice cream business to Froneri in a deal valued at $4 billion, moving control of brands including Häagen-Dazs to a joint venture the Swiss group set up in 2016.
June 21, 2022
Cadbury parent Mondelez International bought energy bar maker Clif Bar & Company for $2.9 billion, as the company continued to consolidate its global presence.
April 25, 2022
Mondelez International MDLZ.O broadened its presence in Mexico with a $1.3 billion purchase of breadmaker Grupo Bimbo's BIMBOA.MX confectionery business, Ricolino.
Dec. 19, 2022
Mondelez sold its gum business, which housed brands such as Trident and Dentyne, in developed markets to European gum and confectionery maker and Mentos parent Perfetti Van Melle Group for $1.35 billion
March 12, 2024
U.S. packaged food maker Campbell Soup CPB.Ncompletes the acquisition of Rao's Homemade-owner Sovos Brands SOVO.O in a $2.33-billion deal.
Aug. 14, 2024
Snickers-maker Mars buys Pringles owner Kellanova K.N in a nearly $36 billion deal.
Sept. 12, 2024
Cheerios maker General Mills GIS.Nsold North America yogurt business to French dairy firms Groupe Lactalis and Sodiaal in a $2.1 billion deal.
Oct. 1, 2024
PepsiCo PEP.Obought Siete Foods parent Garza Food Ventures for $1.2 billion, beefing up the Frito-Lay owner's snacking portfolio amid a shift to private-label brands among cost-conscious consumers.
Dec. 21, 2024
General Mills bought Whitebridge Pet Brands' North American premium cat feeding and pet treating business, which includes Tiki Pets and Cloud Star brands, for $1.45 billion.
July 10, 2025
WK Kellogg KLG.Nagreed to be bought by the owner of Ferrero Rocher in a deal worth around $3.1 billion, as the cereal maker struggled with weakening consumer demand.
Aug. 25, 2025
Keurig Dr Pepper KDP.O said it will buy Dutch coffee company JDE Peet's JDEP.AS for $18.4 billion in cash, and the combined firm will split its beverages and coffee units as it looks for a firmer stronghold over the global coffee and North America refreshment beverages markets.

     Source: Company releases, Reuters articles

(Reporting by Juveria Tabassum and Anshi Sancheti; Editing by Maju Samuel and Sahal Muhammed)

((Juveria.Tabassum@thomsonreuters.com;))