Talks halt on sale of malt barley trader Interbrau

By 
Reading Time: < 1 minute

Published: September 28, 2015

, , ,

(Doug Wilson photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Paris | Reuters –– Swiss grain trading group Ameropa said Monday it would not go ahead with the sale of German malting barley trader Interbrau GmbH to French co-operative group Vivescia, as conditions for the deal had not been met.

The companies entered into an agreement in mid-July for the takeover of Interbrau by Vivescia, parent of the world’s biggest maltster Malteurop, for an undisclosed amount. Ameropa said the deal was still subject to certain conditions.

Read Also

Bill Biligetu, forage crop breeder at the University of Saskatchewan, studies the purple flowers found in the alfalfa plots at Ag in Motion, a farm show held July 15-17 near Langham, Sask. Biligetu is hoping to design an alfalfa variety with more tolerance to drought. Photo: Robert Arnason

Research focuses on drought tolerant alfalfa

Exotic alfalfa varieties that produce white, blue, cream and yellow flowers are being looked at by plant breeders to improve the crop’s drought tolerance.

“These conditions have failed to materialize, and the parties have therefore terminated their negotiations,” it said in a statement without giving further details.

Ameropa is among the leading grain traders in central and eastern Europe. The company had said in July the deal with Vivescia came as it was making sizeable investments to enhance its grain origination infrastructure, including the construction of a new port terminal at Constanta in Romania.

“Whereas we believe that the transaction could have been beneficial to all parties involved, we are no less pleased that Interbrau will remain a member of the Ameropa Group and we shall continue to give it our full support,” the company said.

Interbrau specializes in international malting barley trading and logistics, and operates in Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Canada.

Vivescia, whose Canadian assets include its Malteurop malting plant in Winnipeg, was not immediately available for comment.

Reporting for Reuters by Valerie Parent, writing by Sybille de La Hamaide. Includes files from AGCanada.com Network staff.

explore

Stories from our other publications