Clifford Chance Badea, the local office of the global law firm Clifford Chance, advises Cris-Tim Family Holding, one of the key players in processed meat and ready meals in Romania, regarding the full acquisition of Via Trend Ready Meals SRL and its subsidiary Snack4U Concept SRL from the investment fund Oresa Ventures and its founders.

The transaction is in line with Cris-Tim’s vision to consolidate its position in Romania’s agri-food sector.

Via Trend Ready Meals operates in the ready meal production sector, with factories in Bucharest and across the country. The company is a major player in the chilled ready meals category, with over 15 years’ experience in the sector. Snack4U operates in the sandwich production sector. The two companies manufacture branded products and private label products for international retail chains across the country.

Clifford Chance assigned to the transaction a large team of lawyers with in-depth experience in complex M&A projects, including Nadia Badea (Partner), Loredana Ralea (Partner), Radu Costin (Counsel), Eleonora Udroiu (Counsel), Sabina Crângașu (Senior Counsel), Maria Moga (Senior Associate), Luka Perovic (Associate), and David Mirea (Associate).

The team provided advise throughout the entire project, covering due diligence and the drafting of transaction documents, as well as notifications regarding merger control and investments scrutiny by the Competition Council and the Commission for the Examination of Foreign Direct Investment (CEISD), respectively.

Partner Nadia Badea says: “We are honoured to once again advise Cris-Tim, a great example of leadership in Romanian entrepreneurship, with whom we have developed a close partnership. Following its successful stock exchange listing last year, Cris-Tim is pressing ahead with its ambitious development strategy, and this new transaction marks an important milestone. We are delighted that our global M&A experience, combined with our valuable local expertise, have contributed to this strategic project.”

Partner Loredana Ralea adds: “We congratulate the Cris-Tim team and thank all our project partners, with whom we had an excellent collaboration. It was a complex project in an industry subject to strict regulatory and compliance requirements. The result is a landmark deal for the sector, which complements our impressive M&A portfolio in key industries in Romania and across the region.”

This latest M&A project adds to a significant portfolio of deals advised by Clifford Chance Badea, involving both sell-side and buy-side mandates for strategic investors and global investment funds.

Recent completed projects include:

1. Advising Interpipe Group in closing the acquisition of the ArcelorMittal Tubular Products Roman plant, which marked the Ukraine-based Interpipe’s first industrial investment in Romania;
2. Advising Actis, the global investment fund in sustainable infrastructure, in its joint venture agreement with Mubadala Investment Company, the Abu Dhabi sovereign investor, related to one of the largest renewable energy projects in the region;
3. Advising Renovatio Group in the sale of a photovoltaic park in Satu Mare, with an installed capacity of 100 MW and a storage capacity of 99 MW, to the Greek group GEK TERNA;
4. Advising T2Y Capital, a financial investor specializing in growth capital with a focus on the energy sector and adjacent industries, in relation to its strategic partnership with Prime Batteries Energy Holding, an investment making it the second-largest shareholder of the Romanian battery producer;
5. Advising Nofar Energy in closing the sale of its 50% stake and shareholder loans in the 155 MW Rătești solar project to project partner Econergy International Limited, a transaction valued at EUR 45.6 million;
6. Advising UniCredit on the closing of its merger with Alpha Bank Romania, which resulted in the creation of Romania’s third-largest banking group by assets;
7. Advising the Polish group Green Factory, part of Green Holding, on the completion of the acquisition of Eisberg Romania, Eisberg Poland, and Eisberg Hungary from the Swiss-based Bell Food Group;
8. Advising Alpha Bank and Alpha International Holdings regarding the sale of Alpha Leasing Romania IFN and Alpha Insurance Brokers to Vista Bank Romania.

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About Clifford Chance Badea

Clifford Chance Badea is the local office of the global law firm Clifford Chance LLP, which has been present on the market since 2006. The Bucharest office is constantly involved in complex financing, restructuring, eurobond and share issues on local and international capital markets, derivative financial instruments, acquisitions of companies by strategic investors or private equity funds, infrastructure and motorway projects, real estate investments, as well as domestic and international litigation and arbitration.

About Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance is a global law firm committed to creating advantage for its clients. The firm combines legal and commercial intelligence to grow, transform, protect and defend its clients’ business. Operating as a single, fully integrated global partnership, Clifford Chance provides forward-thinking insights and tech-enabled solutions in the sectors and markets that matter most to its clients. The firm’s culture of collaboration and commitment to rigorous and ethical standards, ensures consistent, high-quality service worldwide.