The Italian sweets giant Ferrero announces the acquisition of WK KELLOGGAmerican company famous for breakfast cereals. The multinational has communicated with a note the green light unanimously to the agreement by the Board of Directors of the two companies, an operation of 23 dollars per action in cash and equal to a total value of 3.1 billion.
It is one of the most important acquisitions in the history of Ferrero and among the moves provided for by the group’s strategic growth plan. WK KELLOGG is what remains of Kellogg CompanyAmerican sweets giant which, within two years, has in fact been completely absorbed by the competition.
The details of the Ferrero operation – WK KELLOGG
The news of the acquisition of WK Kellogg by Ferrero was reported by Wall Street Journalwhich spread it in preview. The signature on the documents should arrive by the end of the weekbut the details seem to be defined.
In the afternoon the confirmation from the executive president Giovanni Ferrero arrived:
I am pleased to welcome Wk Kellogg in the Ferrero group. This is more than a simple acquisition: it represents the union of two companies with an important tradition to generations of faithful consumers.
This despite WK KELLOGG, which is a listed company, has a market capitalization of about 1.5 billion dollarsto which about 500 million debts must be added. The historic American brand then joins the Italian group, in a particularly complex moment.
The company, which produces some of the most famous breakfast cereals in the United States, has been accused of using artificial dyes considered not healthy by the new US secretary of the US, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., supporter of numerous conspiracy theories, in particular on nutrition. WK Kellogg remains the owner of some of the most famous brands in the cereal segment, including:
- Cron Flakes;
- Special K;
- Froot Loops;
- Crispix.
Where ended Kellogg
Despite the name, WK Kellogg is not the company that is commonly associated with the name of the most famous cereal manufacturer in the world. In 2023 in fact, Kellogg Company He separated his business linked to breakfast from the rest of the company. WK KELLOGG was born like this, a listed company distinct from the original, which has renamed Kellanova.
Just a year after this spin-off was announced that Marssnack giant, had presented an offer from 36 billion dollars To buy Kellanova. The operation is still being defined due to the possibility that the new giant has a dominant position in some sectors in the European Union. If the EU antitrust authorize the merger, it would be one of the largest financial operations in the history of the food sector.
WK Kelllogg had therefore remained the last independent company to bring the brand of the historic American sweet manufacturer, but now she will also pass. With the purchase by Ferrero, in just two years, Kellogg’s It was in fact completely absorbed by the competition.
The American expansion of Ferrero
The acquisition of WK Kellogg is not Ferrero’s first step in the American market. The Italian sweets giant, 18.4 billion euros in turnover in 2024, has already purchased Wells Enterprise in the past, some ice cream brands and the entire chocolate business Nestlé in the USA.
An expansion that does not seem to slow down. In 2024 the turnover of the company grew by 9% and the products of the brands controlled by the group arrived in 170 countries of the world.
