Goodman Fielder cleared to buy River Mill

Australasian food company Goodman Fielder was today cleared to buy River Mill Bakeries by competition watchdog, the Commerce Commission.

Commission chair Paula Rebstock said that the commission was satisfied the proposed acquisition would not substantially lessen competition.

Goodman's brands include: Vogel's, Quality Bakers, Country Split, Freya's, Molenburg, Sunny Crust, MacKenzie, Nature's Fresh and Golden Bake.

Its flour mills are situated in Mount Maunganui and Christchurch.

River Mill Bakeries is an independent, privately owned bread and ingredients manufacturer based in Huntly, in the Waikato.

It makes bread, small goods, pizza bases, frozen goods and cookies as well as importing and distributing a variety of food products.

Its bread brands are River Mill, Sun Raised and Millstone, and it produces house brands for Mad Butcher and Export Meats.

River Mill Bakeries also owns Canterbury Flour Mills in Ashburton.

Goodman Fielder was spun off by Graeme Hart's Burns Philp in 2005 in a $2.1 billion float.

- NZPA