# C_2015232EN.01001701.xml

| 16.7.2015 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | C 232/17 |
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16.7.2015

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 232/17

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Prior notification of a concentration

(Case M.7669 — Lion Capital/Aryzta/Picard Groupe)

(Text with EEA relevance)

(2015/C 232/12)

| 1. | On 8 July 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Aryzta AG (‘Aryzta’, Switzerland) and Lion Capital LLP (‘Lion Capital’, United Kingdom) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of the undertaking Picard Groupe SAS (‘Picard’, France) by way of purchase of securities. |
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1.

On 8 July 2015, the Commission received a notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1) by which the undertakings Aryzta AG (‘Aryzta’, Switzerland) and Lion Capital LLP (‘Lion Capital’, United Kingdom) acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of the undertaking Picard Groupe SAS (‘Picard’, France) by way of purchase of securities.

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| 2. | The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:
  —   for Aryzta: holding company active in various food businesses and, through the Aryzta Food Group and its subsidiaries, in the manufacture and supply of bakery products to the retail and food services sectors,
  —   for Lion Capital: private equity manager investing in businesses engaged in the production and/or sale of consumer-branded goods,
  —   for Picard: retail distribution of frozen food through its own distribution network of specialised shops operating under the Picard brand. |
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2.

The business activities of the undertakings concerned are:

—   for Aryzta: holding company active in various food businesses and, through the Aryzta Food Group and its subsidiaries, in the manufacture and supply of bakery products to the retail and food services sectors,

for Aryzta

—   for Lion Capital: private equity manager investing in businesses engaged in the production and/or sale of consumer-branded goods,

for Lion Capital

—   for Picard: retail distribution of frozen food through its own distribution network of specialised shops operating under the Picard brand.

for Picard

| 3. | On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved. |
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3.

On preliminary examination, the Commission finds that the notified transaction could fall within the scope of the Merger Regulation. However, the final decision on this point is reserved.

| 4. | The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.
  Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7669 — Lion Capital/Aryzta/Picard Groupe, to the following address:





  European Commission |
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| Directorate-General for Competition |
| Merger Registry |
| 1049 Bruxelles/Brussel |
| BELGIQUE/BELGIË |

4.

The Commission invites interested third parties to submit their possible observations on the proposed operation to the Commission.

Observations must reach the Commission not later than 10 days following the date of this publication. Observations can be sent to the Commission by fax (+32 22964301), by email to COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu or by post, under reference number M.7669 — Lion Capital/Aryzta/Picard Groupe, to the following address:

European Commission

Directorate-General for Competition

Merger Registry

1049 Bruxelles/Brussel

BELGIQUE/BELGIË

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(1)  OJ L 24, 29.1.2004, p. 1 (the ‘Merger Regulation’).

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