Vivartia
Encyclopedia
Vivartia is a food production conglomerate brand in Greece
. It is the 35th largest European company. Vivartia was formed by the merger of Delta Holding S.A. and Mechelany International S.A. This merger was the result of a process led by Justin Jenk, the then CEO of Delta Holding, Spyridon Theodoropoulos, majority shareholder of Chipita and Dimitrios Daskalopoulos, majority shareholder of Delta. The merged entity was the largest food group in Greece http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=160789. The merger was the culmination of a highly successful turnaround and improvement strategy put in place by Jenk in 2003. The major shareholder of Vivartia was the Daskalopoulos family until a 76.89% share was sold to the Marfin Investment Group
.
Today, Vivartia has 27 facilities, 13,500 employees, a commercial presence in 30 states and an estimated turnover of 1.3 billion euros for 2006.
, Flocafé
and Mechelany foods as well as a dozen other major Greek food and beverages related corporations of the nutritions field, with the snack and bakery business lines of Chipita. The merger was voted "Deal of the Year 2006". After the merger was complete, the company changed its name to Vivartia S. A.
It now consist of various divisions aimed at different aspects of the field. These are:
In December 2007 Vivartia was found guilty of colluding with other milk producers (Nestlé
, Fage
, Mevgal
and Olympos) to fix milk prices in Greece to the disadvantage of the consumer. A contested decision as milk prices are regulated by the European Union
(and Greek authorities) as well as the unlawful actions of certain Greek civil servants.
, Vivartia is active in Serbia
and Bulgaria
and is interested in tapping the rising consumer demand elsewhere in the region and in Russia
.
Outside of Europe Vivartia is also active in Egypt
and Mexico
.
In 2007, Vivartia plans to expand into organic farming
in Romania
and into fast-food chain franchising in Serbia
.
In 2008, Vivartia bought US biscuit and snack-producer Nonni’s for $320 million as part of its expansion plans, along with its brands Nonni's and New York Style and Old London. The acquisition also ensured an entry of Vivartia's 7 Days croissant products to the US market, to be followed by other products at a later stage. In that same year, Vivartia also announced plans to open a new plant in Yadkinville to compliment its 6 existing US plants. As of March 2010, Vivartia now produces and sells 7-Days Croissants in the United States.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. It is the 35th largest European company. Vivartia was formed by the merger of Delta Holding S.A. and Mechelany International S.A. This merger was the result of a process led by Justin Jenk, the then CEO of Delta Holding, Spyridon Theodoropoulos, majority shareholder of Chipita and Dimitrios Daskalopoulos, majority shareholder of Delta. The merged entity was the largest food group in Greece http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=160789. The merger was the culmination of a highly successful turnaround and improvement strategy put in place by Jenk in 2003. The major shareholder of Vivartia was the Daskalopoulos family until a 76.89% share was sold to the Marfin Investment Group
Marfin Investment Group
Marfin Investment Group is a Greek investment company created in 1998 as Marfin Α.Ε.Π.Ε.Υ.. It has acquired several companies and has changed name several times since. In 2001 it acquired Piraeus Prime Bank and was renamed Marfin Bank...
.
Today, Vivartia has 27 facilities, 13,500 employees, a commercial presence in 30 states and an estimated turnover of 1.3 billion euros for 2006.
History
Vivartia is the result of the merger of Delta Holding S.A., which included Delta Dairy Products, Goody'sGoody's
Goody's is Greece's biggest fast food company founded in 1975 by Ioannis Dionisiadis, Achilleas Folias and Nikolaos Pappas in Thessaloniki. It has since grown into one of the most well-reputed firms in Greece. It is the leading firm in fast-food restaurants of Greece having left behind the...
, Flocafé
Flocafé
Flocafé is a Greek franchise coffee house chain and belongs to Vivartia, a nutrition conglomerate brand that owns several similar franchises. It opened its first outlet in Athens in 1994 and now operates over 70 coffee houses in Greece, Cyprus and on several cruise ships.In 2006 it held a 10.2% of...
and Mechelany foods as well as a dozen other major Greek food and beverages related corporations of the nutritions field, with the snack and bakery business lines of Chipita. The merger was voted "Deal of the Year 2006". After the merger was complete, the company changed its name to Vivartia S. A.
It now consist of various divisions aimed at different aspects of the field. These are:
- Dairy & Beverages Division (formerly Delta)
- Bakery & Pastry Division (Chipita)
- Frozen Foods Division (Barba-Stathis)
- Catering Services & Entertainment Division (Goody'sGoody'sGoody's is Greece's biggest fast food company founded in 1975 by Ioannis Dionisiadis, Achilleas Folias and Nikolaos Pappas in Thessaloniki. It has since grown into one of the most well-reputed firms in Greece. It is the leading firm in fast-food restaurants of Greece having left behind the...
, FlocaféFlocaféFlocafé is a Greek franchise coffee house chain and belongs to Vivartia, a nutrition conglomerate brand that owns several similar franchises. It opened its first outlet in Athens in 1994 and now operates over 70 coffee houses in Greece, Cyprus and on several cruise ships.In 2006 it held a 10.2% of...
)
In December 2007 Vivartia was found guilty of colluding with other milk producers (Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
, Fage
Fage
Fage S.A. is a Greek dairy company and one of the major dairy brands in the country. It is headquartered in Athens in the Athens Industrial Area west of downtown. It manufactures dairy products including milk, yogurt and ice cream...
, Mevgal
Mevgal
MEVGAL is a Greek a brand of dairy products company, the largest in Northern Greece and the third largest producer of fresh dairy products in the country. Its name is an acronym for Macedonian Milk Industry...
and Olympos) to fix milk prices in Greece to the disadvantage of the consumer. A contested decision as milk prices are regulated by the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
(and Greek authorities) as well as the unlawful actions of certain Greek civil servants.
International expansion
In the BalkansBalkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
, Vivartia is active in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and is interested in tapping the rising consumer demand elsewhere in the region and in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
.
Outside of Europe Vivartia is also active in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
In 2007, Vivartia plans to expand into organic farming
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
and into fast-food chain franchising in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
In 2008, Vivartia bought US biscuit and snack-producer Nonni’s for $320 million as part of its expansion plans, along with its brands Nonni's and New York Style and Old London. The acquisition also ensured an entry of Vivartia's 7 Days croissant products to the US market, to be followed by other products at a later stage. In that same year, Vivartia also announced plans to open a new plant in Yadkinville to compliment its 6 existing US plants. As of March 2010, Vivartia now produces and sells 7-Days Croissants in the United States.