Kraft Heinz To Sell Natural Cheese Biz To Groupe Lactalis For $3.2 Bln

(RTTNews) - Kraft Heinz Co. (KHC) Tuesday said it agreed to sell its Natural, Grated, Cultured and Specialty cheese businesses to a U.S. affiliate of Groupe Lactalis for $3.2 billion.

The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to regulatory review and approval.

The deal includes Kraft Heinz's Natural, Grated, Cultured and Specialty cheese businesses in the U.S., Grated cheese business in Canada, and the entire International Cheese business outside these two countries, including the following brands: Breakstone's, Knudsen, Polly-O, Athenos, Hoffman's, Cracker Barrel in the U.S. only, and outside the U.S. and Canada only, Cheez Whiz.

Further, Kraft Heinz will partner with Groupe Lactalis on a perpetual license for Kraft in Natural, Grated and International cheeses and Velveeta in Shredded and International cheeses.

Meanwhile, Kraft Heinz will retain the Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Kraft Singles, Velveeta Processed Cheese and Cheez Whiz Processed Cheese businesses in the U.S. and Canada, the Kraft, Velveeta and Cracker Barrel Mac & Cheese businesses worldwide, and the Kraft Sauces business worldwide.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kraft Heinz will sell production facilities located in Tulare, California; Walton, New York; and Wausau, Wisconsin, and a distribution center in Weyauwega, Wisconsin.