Agribusiness

Advised Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Holdings Limited (WCB) in responding to competing takeover offers from Bega Cheese (hostile), Saputo (recommended) and Murray Goulburn (unsolicited). This was one of the most vigorous auctions for control in recent Australian Corporate history, with a total of 9 bids made by the three bidders. Saputo's winning bid valued Warrnambool at approximately A$530m.

Acted for global seafood company Maruha Nichiro Seafoods Inc in its purchase of 50% of West Australian company Austral Fisheries Pty Ltd, one of Australia's leading commercial fishing companies. Our role involved advising Maruha throughout the life cycle of the transaction, including conducting due diligence on the legal particulars of Australia's fishing industry and achieving completion with parties across various time zones in Japan, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. 

Advised Affinity Equity Partners on the acquisition of a majority shareholding in Primo Smallgoods, Australia's largest producer of ham, bacon and small goods, alongside the founding family.

Minter Ellison Rudd Watts advised Sumitomo Corporation on the acquisition of an 80% stake in Juice Products New Zealand Limited.

Acted for Suntory Holdings on the Australian merger clearance aspects in relation to the US$16 billion acquisition of Beam Inc.

Advised Parmalat Australia Pty Ltd (a wholly owned subsidiary of Parmalat S.p.A., which is listed on the Italian stock exchange) and the Lactalis Group (majority shareholder in Parmalat S.p.A.) in relation to its acquisition of 100% of the Longwarry Food Park dairy business. We assisted Parmalat and Lactalis with legal due diligence, negotiations of the transaction documents (including W&I policy) and completion of the transaction. The acquisition further strengthens Parmalat's position in the Australian dairy market.

Advised Beingmate Group, a leading Chinese infant food manufacturer, on its proposed alliance with New Zealand dairy co-operative Fonterra Co-operative Group, designed to help meet China’s growing demand for infant formula. The alliance is intended to create an integrated global supply chain from the farm gate direct to China’s consumers, using Fonterra’s milk pools and manufacturing sites.

Advised the senior debt holders of Gunns Limited.

Acted for ANZ advising on its bilateral exposure to the Gunns group. Following the appointment of administrators, we acted for McGrath Nicol as receivers and managers of two related property trusts. The trusts leased land to the Gunns Group, which had been used for MIS purposes.

Acted as legal adviser to Primo Smallgoods Group, Affinity Equity Partners and the Lederer family on the A$1.45 billion sale to Brazil's JBS SA, the world's largest food processing company.

Acted for one of the world's leading timber investment managers, Global Forest Partners LP on the acquisition of forestry assets from Elders Limited.

Acted for the secured creditor (CBA) and the receivers and managers (Korda Mentha) of the Environinvest Group, including as responsible entity for a number of managed investment schemes.

Acted for a syndicate of banks and the receivers and managers (McGrathNicol) of the Great Southern Group. We advised on all aspects of the receivership, including a restructuring of the MIS schemes, and a sale of approximately 269,000 hectares of land in the largest private forestry sale by area in Australia.

Acting for the receivers and managers (PPB) of the assets and shares in Burrup Fertilisers Pty Ltd, and certain shares held in the parent entity Burrup Holdings Limited. The secured creditor's exposure to the broader Oswal Group of Companies exceeded A$900 million.

Acted for the Elders Group in debt restructure negotiations with a syndicate of banks (and consequentially, in the sale of its agricultural services business and managing a staged exit of their forestry business).