White & Case and Clifford Chance were called in on a deal that saw Barry Callebaut Asia Pacific (Singapore) sell its Asiabased consumer company, Van Houten (Singapore) to Hershey Singapore.
Barry Callebaut Asia Pacific (Singapore) is a subsidiary of Barry Callebaut AG, a Zurich-based manufacturer of high-quality cocoa and chocolate brands such as Sarotti, Jacques and Alprose. The value of the transaction was not disclosed.
As part of the deal, Barry Callebaut will grant the Hershey Company an exclusive licence to use the Van Houten brand name and related trademarks in Asia- Pacific, the Middle East and Australia & New Zealand for its consumer products. Barry Callebaut will retain ownership of the Van Houten brand and will continue to use it in its gourmet and vending businesses worldwide.
“The successful completion of this deal will allow Barry Callebaut to focus entirely on its core business in the industrial and gourmet food market in Asia and the Middle East,” said Hamburgbased Christian Jacobs, who was White & Case’s lead partner on the deal. William Kirschner, an M&A partner based in Singapore also acted on the deal.
Clifford Chance, led by Valerie Kong, acted for Hershey on the deal.