Grain merchants Cefetra Group to be acquired by First Dutch

Agricultural commodity traders Cefetra Group is set to be acquired by major European logistics business First Dutch, following a lengthy negotiation and approval process.

German trading firm BayWa AG, current parent company of Cefetra Group, has agreed to the sell-off in order to help reduce debt within the business.

Cefetra Group operates across 20 countries and its subsidiaries include Glasgow-based grain merchants Cefetra UK and Hampshire-based specialist arable firm Premium Crops.

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The transaction is due to take place in the coming months, subject to relevant industry checks.

Cefetra Group will continue to operate as an independent company, and Cefetra UK stated that operations would remain unchanged, with the same team and values.

Daan Vriens, chief executive of Cefetra Group, said: “Our new shareholder brings a long-term perspective and values our independent position in the market.

“Their support allows us to stay focused on our purpose, while continuing our ways of working and partnerships.”

First Dutch chairman, Peter Goedvolk, added that First Dutch was a global player in commodity supply chains with representations in more than 1,500 ports in the world.