CMS advises Milch-Union on merger with Arla Foods amba

Cologne – Scandinavian-German dairy group Arla plans to merge with Milch-Union Hocheifel and the UK's Milk Link. The transaction is currently awaiting approval from the EU competition authorities and the consent of the membership meetings of the companies involved.

A team led by Dr Malte Bruhns advised Milch-Union on all legal and tax aspects of this complex transaction.

The merger will see Arla expand its worldwide sales by around EUR 1.5 billion to a total of EUR 9 billion. It also creates the third-largest dairy in Germany. At its headquarters in Pronsfeld in the Eifel region, Milch-Union operates Europe's most modern production facility for long-life dairy products. The company employs around 1,000 people and currently generates annual sales of some EUR 700 million.

Arla previously merged with major North German dairy company Hansa-Milch in 2010. On that occasion, a team from CMS Hasche Sigle led by Dr Malte Bruhns and Klaus Jäger advised merger partner Hansa-Milch.

Advisers CMS Hasche Sigle

Dr Malte Bruhns, Corporate, M&A, Lead Partner
Dr Thomas Link, Tax
Marcus Fischer, Tax
Klaus Jäger, Corporate, M&A
Dr Ralph Drouven, Corporate, M&A
Dr Hagen Weishaupt, Corporate, M&A, Due Diligence
Dr Richard Mayer-Uellner, Corporate, M&A, Due Diligence
Marcus Wuntke, Corporate, M&A, Due Diligence
Dr Björn Otto, Labour, Employment & Pensions
Dr Alexandra Janz, Labour, Employment & Pensions
Dr Michael Bauer, Antitrust
Dr Björn Herbers, Antitrust
Dr Matthias Nordmann, Antitrust

Danish partner firm: Bech-Bruun, Ole Nørgaard (Corporate, M&A), Thomas Frøbert (Tax)

Inhouse at Milch-Union: Sarah Wolf, Klaus Becker

Lawyers acting on behalf of Arla Foods amba:
Hengeler Müller (Dr Christian Möller (M&A, Corporate, Lead Partner), Dr Wolfram Joppich, Dr Benjamin Leyendecker (both Corporate, M&A), Dr Thorsten Mäger, Dr Stefanie Budde (Antitrust)), and others.

Danish law: Kromann Reumert (Arne Ottosen (M&A, Corporate, Lead Partner), Andreas Ilum (M&A, Corporate), and others.

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