March 4, 2019

1 Min Read
Cargill to Buy Belgian Gourmet Chocolate Firm Smet
Cargill plans to buy Belgian gourmet chocolate and sweets decorations manufacturer Smet. Image courtesy of Pixabay

American agribusiness Cargill announced plans to purchase Belgium-based chocolate and sweets decorations producer Smet, expanding the firm’s global activities in the gourmet chocolate segment.

“We will broaden our product portfolio and services to artisans and chocolatiers, bakery, hospitality businesses and food service industries,” Inge Demeyere, managing director of Cargill’s chocolate activities in Europe, said in a company press release. “Smet enjoys great market recognition. As their brand joins Cargill’s existing brand portfolio, their unique entrepreneurial capabilities that will be leveraged to allow for a dedicated focus on gourmet customers.”

The company said its acquisition of Smet, its decoration technology, and portfolio of products will improve Cargill’s production capabilities and boost speed-to-market. Smet currently owns two manufacturing facilities in Belgium and Poland and operates a global distribution network for gourmet products. 

“Cargill provides us with a unique opportunity to serve our customers with a globally integrated cocoa and chocolate supply chain, a renowned sustainability approach, and deep chocolate expertise,” the Belgian company’s chief executive officer, Johan Smet, said in a statement. 

The deal is expected to close in the first half of this year. Terms of the transaction were not included in Cargill's release. 

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