Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.10891 – BUNGE / SC FRICH ENVOL / SC ONE / BZ GROUP) Candidate case for simplified procedure (Text with EEA relevance) 2023/C 80/10
Date: 2023-03-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: agricultural production, animal production, crop production, economic concentration, food production, merger control, shareholder








C_2023080EN.01006901.xml










3.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 80/69






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.10891 – BUNGE / SC FRICH ENVOL / SC ONE / BZ GROUP)
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(2023/C 80/10)

1.   
On 24 February 2023, the Commission received notification of a proposed concentration pursuant to Article 4 of Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (1).
This notification concerns the following undertakings:






—


Koninklijke Bunge B.V (‘Bunge’, United States),










—


SC Frich’Envol (France),










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SC One (France),










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BZ SAS and SCI de Maison Bleue (together ‘BZ Group’, France), currently jointly controlled by SC Frich’Envol and SC One.




Bunge, SC Frich’Envol and SC One will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of the whole of BZ Group.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares.


2.   
The business activities of the undertakings concerned are the following:






—


Bunge is a global agribusiness and food company active in the purchase, storage, transport, processing and sale of agricultural commodities and commodity products, most notably oilseeds and grains. Bunge processes oilseeds into vegetable oils and protein meals for the food, animal feed and biodiesel industries. Bunge also produces milling products, sugar and bioenergy,










—


SC Frich’Envol and SC One detain the shares of BZ SAS and SCI de Maison Bleue and do not carry out any activities themselves,










—


BZ Group is a French group active in the origination, purchasing, storage and sale of grains, oilseeds and protein crops, as well as in terminal services for such products.






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.
Pursuant to the Commission Notice on a simplified procedure for treatment of certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


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. The following reference should always be specified:
M.10891 – BUNGE / SC FRICH ENVOL / SC ONE / BZ GROUP
Observations can be sent to the Commission by email or by post. Please use the contact details below:
Email: COMP-MERGER-REGISTRY@ec.europa.eu
Postal address:





European Commission




Directorate-General for Competition




Merger Registry




1049 Bruxelles/Brussel




BELGIQUE/BELGIË







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

(2)  OJ C 366, 14.12.2013, p. 5.