The acquisition of the Australia's second largest chicken producer, Bartter, by Baiada could be blocked by the competitive regulator: the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) issued a Statement of Issues (SoI) on this takeover.
Owner of the Steggles brand, Bartter Enterprises is the second largest producer and marketer of chicken and turkey products in Australia. Employer of over 7,000, Inghams is the largest, and Baiada is the third largest producer of chicken products in Australia. Together, the three companies hold around 65 per cent of the Australian market.
It is likely that the planned takeover will result in Baiada, which currently has around 2,200 employees, claiming the top spot from Inghams. ACCC is worried about a potential reduction of competition in the market for the acquisition of chicken grower services in the west Victoria region and in the market for the supply of chicken meat to national wholesale customers, including supermarkets and quick-service restaurants.
To allow for submissions from the market in response to the Statement of Issues (which can be made until January 27 2009) the ACCC's final decision date will be postponed until 11 February 2009
