The law firm Sołtysiński Kawecki & Szlęzak is advising Sokołów S.A., a company belonging to the group Danish Crown A.S., during an acquisition of a range of companies making up the meat group Gzella.
The Gzella brand has been present on the meat market since 1985. Gzella has a production plant in Osie, which thanks to the introduction of specialized production management systems is considered to be one of the most modern production plants of this type in Europe. Having its own transport fleet makes possible an efficient and quick supply of ready products both to outside suppliers and to the chain of shops bearing the Delikatesy Mięsne brand.
Sokołów S.A. is a leader and one of the most recognizable brands in the meat sector in Poland. The history of the Company Sokołów S.A. goes back to 1899 when a branch (now belonging to the Company) opened in Robakowo. Sokołów S.A. belongs to the international group Danish Crown specializing in the production of foodstuffs and in the pig and cattle slaughter industry. Danish Crown is the largest exporter of meat in the world and the largest meat processing firm in Europe.
As part of the transaction, Sokołów S.A. will acquire, from the current owners, companies making up the meat group Gzella. The transaction will be finalized once the conditions set out in the transaction documentation have been met.
SK&S advised the client in all aspects of the transaction: negotiations with the owners, preparation of the transaction documentation, the due diligence, tax and regulation issues, including preparation of the notification to the Competition and Consumer Protection Office, whose consent is necessary in order to finalize the transaction.
For the transaction, Sokołów S.A. is assisted by a team of SK&S lawyers headed by counselor Krzysztof Pawlisz, partner, composed of: counselor Andrzej Motyka (senior associate), counselor Agnieszka Skowronek (senior associate), counselor Jan Pierzgalski (associate) and Anna Bartosiewicz (junior associate). Tax issues are handled by counselor Piotr Andrzejak, partner in the tax advice department of the firm, and counselor Szymon Czerwiński (senior associate), while antimonopoly issues are handled by counselor Krzysztof Kanton, partner in charge of the competition law practice, and Dr Jarosław Łukawski, senior counsel in the competition law department.