Prior notification of a concentration (Case M.11294 - GHARAGE / DUFRY INTERNATIONAL / JET CENTRAL CORE / DUFFLE (JV)) – Candidate case for simplified procedure
Date: 2024-01-11
Institutions: Directorate-General for Competition, European Commission
Subjects: airport, catering industry, delivery, duty-free sale, economic concentration, electronic commerce, investment company, merger control, retail trade, start-up








C_202400778EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
Series C













C/2024/778


11.1.2024






Prior notification of a concentration
(Case M.11294 - GHARAGE / DUFRY INTERNATIONAL / JET CENTRAL CORE / DUFFLE (JV))
Candidate case for simplified procedure
(Text with EEA relevance)
(C/2024/778)


1.   
On 22 December 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:






—


GHARAGE Ventures GmbH (Germany) (“Gharage”), controlled by Gebr. Heinemann SE & Co. KG (Germany) (“GH”),










—


Dufry International AG (Switzerland) (“Dufry International”), controlled by Dufry AG, Switzerland (“Dufry”),










—


Takeaway.com Central Core B.V. (Netherlands) (“JET Central Core”), controlled by Just Eat Takeaway.com N.V. (Netherlands) (“JET”),










—


Duffle Travel Retail Platform GmbH (Germany) (“Duffle”), controlled by Gharage.




Dufry, JET and Gharage will acquire within the meaning of Article 3(1)(b) and 3(4) of the Merger Regulation joint control of Duffle.
The concentration is accomplished by way of purchase of shares and by way of contract or any other means.


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






—


Gharage invests in and partners with early-stage start-ups within the travel and retail ecosystem whilst GH globally operates and supplies Duty Free/Travel Value shops at airports and other transport hubs. GH is also active in the provision of food and beverage services to travellers (via its joint venture smartseller GmbH & Co. KG (“smartseller”),










—


Dufry, together with its subsidiary Autogrill S.p.A. (“Autogrill”), is a global travel business that operates retail outlets in airports and other transport hubs, and a global provider of food and beverage services to travellers, and










—


JET is an online food delivery marketplace that connects consumers with restaurants and other partners through its platforms.






3.   

The business activities of Duffle are the following: Duffle is a start-up company which has developed a concept for online marketplace and delivery services at airports which aims at connecting retailers and brands with end customers at airports and that it wants to roll out.



4.   
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 treatment for certain concentrations under Council Regulation (EC) No 139/2004 on the control of concentrations between undertakings, (2) it should be noted that this case is a candidate for treatment under the procedure set out in the Notice.


5.   
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.11294 - GHARAGE / DUFRY INTERNATIONAL / JET CENTRAL CORE / DUFFLE (JV)
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 160, 5.5.2023, p. 1.


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/778/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)