St. Paul and Royal ERU, two leading Dutch-Belgian processed cheese companies, today announce the start of their strategic alliance with the intention to acquire and jointly integrate Kasi Food, the processed cheese company of the Lekkerkerker Food. Both companies are joining forces with the aim of expanding their joint core business and market share, as well as achieving efficiency in all production processes. This will create the largest alliance in (processed) cheese production in the Benelux region.
The alliance between St. Paul, Royal ERU, and Kasi Food will create a partnership with a comprehensive range of high-quality (processed) cheese preparations for both the consumer market (retail; B-to-C, where ERU is already active), the out-of-home market (foodservice, where ERU is already active), as well as the food industry (B-to-B, where St. Paul has already gained a significant market share). The companies expect to benefit from each other’s expertise and experience to achieve mutual growth while at the same time improving the quality and efficiency of their production processes and procurement. The alliance aims to leverage the strengths of both St. Paul and Royal ERU, as well as Kasi Food. Both companies intend to jointly shape the integration of Kasi Food’s business activities and various products, utilizing the locations of Royal ERU in Woerden (The Netherlands) and St. Paul in Sint-Jansteen (The Netherlands) and Lokeren (Belgium).
St. Paul
St. Paul, a family-owned company founded 38 years ago and based in Lokeren (Belgium) and Sint-Jansteen (The Netherlands), has built a solid reputation as a distinctive producer of customized processed cheese applications for the B-to-B market through high quality and efficient production processes. As one of the leading players in the European processed cheese industry, St. Paul sees the alliance with Royal ERU and the integration of Kasi Food as the perfect opportunity to accelerate its growth ambitions and leverage the combined experience of the three companies.
Dieter Kuijl, CEO of St. Paul: “I am very excited to join forces and to incorporate all the collective experience that the companies have into our growth ambitions.”
Royal ERU
Royal ERU, a renowned cheese company founded in 1824 and based in Woerden (The Netherlands) ever since, has a rich history and is known for its quality melted cheeses for retail and foodservice. With leading brands such as ERU Goudkuipje, ERU has secured a place at the table for many consumers. Food professionals also choose ERU for its appealing solutions for the foodservice industry. With this strategic alliance, Royal ERU sees an opportunity to optimize its product portfolio and accelerate its pursuit of further expansion.
Maurits Sandberg, CEO of ERU Group: “I am excited about the opportunities that the integration of Kasi Food’s retail and foodservice activities brings, and I am greatly looking forward to all the further steps our companies will take together.”
Kasi Food, part of Lekkerkerker Food
Lekkerkerker Food, a family-owned company with over 45 years of expertise in dairy production and based in Lopik (The Netherlands), specializes in producing high-quality cream cheese, processed cheese, and vegan cheese products for the industry, foodservice, and retail. By integrating Kasi Food, the processed cheese activities of the Lekkerkerker Food Group, within the alliance of St. Paul and Royal ERU, numerous synergies and economies of scale will be realized. This will enable Kasi Food to further professionalize with the right investments and scale, allowing market opportunities to be seized more rapidly. At the same time, Lekkerkerker Food can fully focus on the continued growth and transition to sustainability for its cream cheese and vegan activities. An advisory procedure has been initiated with the Works Council of the Lekkerkerker Group for the acquisition of Kasi Food.
Lekkerkerker Food is a part of the Lekkerkerker Group. The business units Lebo Kaas, Lekkerkerker Dairy & Food Equipment, Useddairyequipment, and DFM auctions are not included in the acquisition.
Mariska Lekkerkerker, CEO of Lekkerkerker Food: “With this integration, new opportunities arise for all parties involved, and I look forward to a promising growth and future of our activities in cream cheese and dairy equipment.”
Lopik, June 5 2023
Mariska Lekkerkerker – CEO Lekkerkerker Food
