Fish feed Company sold for over $ 12 billion – Avisa Nordland

The US conglomerate Cargill buys one of world’s leading fish feed producers, EWOS, for 1.35 billion euros – 12.4 billion Norwegian kroner.

– We have come to a good home. They need our expertise in Akvafor. They see that Akvafor is the future, and will use Ewos as tools to be equal to what they are on land proteins, says CEO Einar Wathne in Ewos to pursuits.

Factory in Halsa

Ewos’ was established in Sweden in 1931 and is headquartered in Bergen. The company has factories in Florø in Sogn og Fjordane, Halsa in Nordland and Berg Neset in Troms, as well as Chile, Vietnam, Canada and Scotland.

Norwegian expertise

When Ewos were sold from Cermaq ASA to buyout funds Altor and Bain Capital in 2013, demanded Wathne that the head office was established in Bergen. Now the company is part of an international group.

– Norway will be a big market and a lot of expertise they are looking for sitting in Norway. We will be a strong unit, and Bergen will remain the center of gravity of the focus of Cargill, says the CEO.

Buying up

The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and expected to be completed by the end of the calendar year, reports Ewos in a press release.

Cargill already have aquaculture operations in Mexico, Central America, China, USA, Southeast Asia, India and Ecuador – and EWOS is the company’s second acquisitions this summer.

– The world’s protein needs are expected to increase by 70 percent by 2050, and breeding of fish and shrimp is one of the solutions to meet this demand. Cargill will play an important role in this growing and important market, says Sarena Lin, president of Feed & amp; Nutrition in Cargill.