by Sarah Hills FoodBizDaily.com London
March 09 2010 - Dutch firm Schuitema has agreed to sell five outlets in order to secure regulatory approval for its bid to buy Super de Boer stores.
The Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) said it has conditionally approved the acquisition of 79 stores of the Dutch supermarket chain Super de Boer by Schuitema, owner of the C1000 supermarket chain.
However, Schuitema had to amend its original acquisition plans to win approval as there was concern that it would have created local competition problems in five smaller Dutch towns.
NMa said: “Although the acquisition of the Super de Boer stores would only have a marginal effect on Schuitema’s national market share, it would however lead to high market shares in several smaller regional markets, thereby potentially harming competition on a local level considerably.
“Schuitema therefore offered to sell a Super de Boer store or C1000 store in these five towns to a third party.
“Having had its original acquisition plans amended, Schuitema is prevented from gaining too strong a position on a local level regarding grocery shopping through supermarkets.
“Consumers in these towns are thus guaranteed having enough alternatives, both before and after the acquisition.”
Schuitema is engaged in the procurement, wholesale and retail supermarket business in The Netherlands.
It is largely a wholesale organisation, supplying goods and services to approximately 330 stores operated by franchisees under Schuitema's store formula C1000. Schuitema also operates 39 stores of its own.
The European Commission had referred the proposed acquisition of the Super de Boer stores by Schuitema to the NMa in January.
Future owners of the five stores due to be put up for sale will also need to be approved by the NMa.
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Schuitema NV
Address: Databankweg 26 Postbus 1000 Amersfoort, 3821 AL Netherlands
Telephone: +31-33-4533600
Fax: +31-33-4550444
About Schuitema NV
Schuitema NV is a Netherlands-based company specializing in food retail. The Company supplies goods and services to independent retailers who together form the supermarket chain, C1000. The stores are customer-focused full service supermarkets active in the Netherlands. Schuitema also aims at improving the organization and the logistic processes of C1000, maintaining the existing supermarkets and coordinating new store openings. On June 30, 2008, approximately 98.4% of all Schuitema shares (at that moment held by Koninklijke Ahold N.V. en B.V. Maatschappij tot Ontwikkeling van Middenstandsprojecten (C.K.K.),were sold to Skipper Acquisitions B.V. On July 29, 2008 Skipper Acquisitions has started a tender offer to acquire the remaining 1.6% of the shares outstanding.