Belgian food group Vandemoortele can begin integrating French frozen bakery company Délifrance on Tuesday after receiving final approval from the UK's competition watchdog.
The European Commission approved the takeover late last year on condition that Vandemoortele divest two of Délifrance's factories in France. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) had raised concerns about the deal, with Vandemoortele required to divest its major puff pastry factory in Worcester as well as a sales division in Staines-upon-Thames.
Vandemoortele said on Tuesday that both divestments are still in progress, but that the two companies can now begin operating as a single business.
The clearance comes more than a year and a half after Vandemoortele agreed to acquire Délifrance, creating one of Europe's largest frozen bakery groups. Together, Vandemoortele's bakery division and Délifrance employ around 6,000 people across 41 production sites in Europe, the United States and Asia.
The combined businesses generate around €2.2 billion in revenue.
