Mergers & Acquisitions

The J. M. Smucker Company completes an acquisition of Enray Inc., a privately-held manufacturer and marketer of premium organic, gluten-free ancient grain products.

Through the acquisition of Meccano (known as Erector Set in the United States), Spin Master grows its global portfolio and strengthens its executive team.

Either through specialized expertise in stores, like lululemon and Under Armour, or by ease of access to a wide variety of products, like Amazon, this year's fastest-growing retailers are going beyond function to a more emotional connection as the key to rapid growth.

After the company was sold off by Procter & Gamble to a private equity firm, SunnyD had to move quickly to establish a solid infrastructure in order to get its products to market without any significant gaps.

The portfolio being acquired includes a broad range of liquid and dry-mix salad dressing flavors under the Wish-Bone and Western brand names, at a purchase price of $580 million.

The proposed transaction includes Campbells national brands of soups, sauces and simple meals, including Liebig and Royco in France, Erasco in Germany, Bl Band in Sweden and Devos Lemmens and Royco in Belgium.

Danone says the purchase, for an undisclosed price, "will advance Danone's ambition to further develop yogurt consumption by notably expanding the various ways in which Americans can enjoy yogurt."

The acquisition of Associated Brands will significantly strengthen TreeHouse's retail presence in private label dry grocery and will introduce a line of specialty tea products to complement its fast growing single serve coffee business.