Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, will leave the Russian dairy and food group on May 1st 2011. His decision to step down as chief executive follows the successful conclusion of the landmark sale of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods to PepsiCo. An announcement on Tony Maher’s successor will be made in the coming weeks.

“The last five years as chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann have been some of the most exciting and satisfying of my career. I am pleased that I have accomplished almost everything I set out to do when I joined the company,” Tony Maher comments.

Tony Maher.

He continues: “I was lucky to have had a rare professional opportunity to shape the future of one of Russia’s most advanced companies and have a strong influence on the overall development of the Russian consumer market. My focus has always been to develop the company, its people and its products for the long-term. I have had the privilege of working with a fantastic team of people on every level of the company. Now I really believe Wimm-Bill-Dann and its remarkable people have a great future ahead as part of a more global organisation.”

PepsiCo has received Russian regulatory clearance for its acquisition of 66% of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, Russia’s leading branded food and beverage company, for $3.8b. The US-based soft drinks and snack foods giant now plans to close the acquisition on or about February 8th, 2011. After closing the acquisition agreement, PepsiCo will own approximately 77% of the total outstanding ordinary shares of Wimm-Bill-Dann.

The transaction will make PepsiCo the largest food and beverage business in Russia and will strengthen the group’s position in the fast-growing Eastern European and Central Asian markets. It also will raise PepsiCo’s annual global revenues from nutritious and functional foods from approximately $10b today to nearly $13b. This moves PepsiCo closer to its strategic goal of building a $30b nutrition business by 2020.

Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, the largest manufacturer of dairy products and a leading producer of juices and beverages in Russia, is continuing its eastward expansion with the acquisition of Kungur Dairy Plant in Perm region for an undisclosed sum. The plant is the region’s leading dairy producer and is recognised as one of Russia’s most technologically advanced dairy facilities. The transaction is subject to preliminary approval by the Russian Federal Antimonopoly Service.

The purchase of Kungur Dairy Plant is in line with Wimm-Bill-Dann’s strategy of expanding its business through the selective acquisitions of successful companies with strong market positions, established brand portfolios and a sustainable raw-materials base. Situated in the southeastern part of Perm region, Kungur has excellent access to raw materials in the region. The plant supplies the wider region and its products enjoy strong consumer recognition in both Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions.

“This acquisition in Perm region is in line with our strategy of expanding eastward and increasing our leading positions in the fast-growing Urals,” says Silviu Popovich, head of the WBD Foods business unit. “We are buying a state-of-the-art facility in the right location with a highly skilled and experienced local team that will significantly strengthen our market presence in a key geography for us. Its high quality products represent an excellent fit with our existing portfolio. The Kungur plant complements our existing manufacturing base and moves us to a whole new level in the Urals in terms of competitiveness and market reach.”

PepsiCo is acquiring a 66% stake in Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, Russia’s leading branded food and beverages company, for $3.8b, pending the required government approvals. Wimm-Bill-Dann is a leader in both traditional and value-added dairy products, with a solid position in juice.

The transaction will establish PepsiCo as the largest food-and-beverage business in Russia, make it a leader in the country’s fast-growing dairy category and build its presence in key markets in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It will also raise PepsiCo’s annual global revenues from nutritious and functional foods from approximately $10b today to nearly $13b. This moves the US-based beverages and snacks group closer to its strategic goal of building a $30b nutrition business by 2020.

“Adding Wimm-Bill-Dann to PepsiCo’s portfolio is financially attractive and gives us a strong, high-growth platform in the dairy category,” says Indra Nooyi, chairman and chief executive of PepsiCo. “It also gives us clear leadership in the food and beverage industry in Russia, a fast-growing, strategically important market offering abundant opportunity. At the same time, Wimm-Bill-Dann’s strong, value-added dairy business immediately advances our global nutrition strategy to provide consumers around the world nutritious foods and beverages that are accessible, affordable and advantaged by science. Dairy has a huge, untapped potential to bridge snacks and beverages. We see the emerging opportunity to ‘snackify’ beverages and ‘drinkify’ snacks as the next frontier in food and beverage convenience.”

Wimm-Bill-Dann was founded just 18 years ago with a handful of employees. Today the group employs over 16,000 people and operates 38 production facilities.

The integration of Wimm Bill Dann is expected to yield pre-tax annual synergies of approximately $100m by 2014. The completed transaction will bring together PepsiCo’s large global food and beverage brands (Pepsi-Cola, Lipton and Lay’s), its Russian juice and water brands (Fruktovi Sad, Ya, Tonus, Hrusteam and Aqua Minerale) and Wimm-Bill-Dann’s portfolio of leading dairy and juice brands (Domik v Dorevne, Chudo, Imunele, J7, Lubimy Sad, 100% Gold Premium and Agusha).

Upon completion of the full Wimm-Bill-Dann acquisition, PepsiCo’s brands will rank first among food and beverage companies operating in Russia, with approximately $5b in revenue. PepsiCo will have six of the twenty largest food and beverage brands in Russia.

PepsiCo will be approximately twice the size of its nearest food and beverage competitor in Russia, with an unmatched distribution platform for its products. PepsiCo will employ approximately 31,000 people in Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia and have 49 manufacturing facilities, making the company one of the largest food and beverage employers in the region.

Danone has finalised the sale of its 18.4% stake in Wimm Bill Dann Foods, the Russian dairy and food group for $470m. Danone has held the stake since Wimm Bill Dann Foods’ IPO in 2002.

The closing of the transaction was subject to the grant of the required regulatory approvals for the merger of Danone’s fresh dairy products operations in Russia with those of Unimilk, Russia’s second largest manufacturer of dairy products and baby food. Established in 2002, Unimilk operates 28 production plants in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus and has 14,000 employees. Unimilk’s sales in 2009 amounted to Eur1b (up 7% on 2008).

Wimm-Bill-Dann will fund the purchase of its shares from Danone from existing resources and will not require additional financing. Founded in 1992, Moscow-based Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods has grown rapidly to become the largest producer of dairy, baby food and beverage products in its native Russia and the CIS. The group employs over 16,000 people across 37 manufacturing facilities in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. In 2005, Wimm-Bill-Dann became the first Russian dairy producer to receive approval from the European Commission to export its products into the European Union.

Since 2002, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods has been expanding its geographical footprint by acquiring successful businesses in Russia and the CIS, and investing heavily in modernising its production facilities. Its strategy is to produce its core products in the regions where they are sold.

Russian dairy, food and beverages group Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods increased net income by 7.1% year-on-year to US$69.5m on revenue up 17.1% to US$1.26b for the first six months ended June 30th 2010. EBITDA rose marginally to US$159.7m from US$158.3m in the same period of 2009.

The revenue increase was driven by volume growth in the group’s dairy, beverages and baby food segments and favorable pricing across all segments. Group revenue in rubles increased 6.6% versus the same period a year ago. However, gross margin declined 400 basis points to 29.9% as a result of the continued pressure of raw milk costs in the first six months of 2010.

Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods.

“Our performance continues to be strong, with significant improvements in market share across our dairy, beverages, and baby food segments, as demand resturns back to levels we have not seen since before the global economic crisis,” says Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods. “However, we continue to face the challenges in raw milk procurement, which adversely impacted our gross margins in the dairy segment in the second quarter. Despite some temporary input difficulties, we are favorably positioned across our segments to achieve our objective of expanding profitability through efficiency gains and a greater share in high value categories.”

Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods is the market leader in dairy products and children’s food in Russia and one of the leading players in the market for non-alcoholic drinks in Russia and the CIS. The group operates more than 35 production facilities in Russia, Ukraine and Central Asia.

Danone has agreed to sell its 18.4% stake in Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods to the Russian food group for a total consideration of $470m. The agreement follows the recent announcement of the joint-venture between Danone and Unimilk in the CIS region. The deal is conditional upon Danone receiving the necessary regulatory approvals for the merger of its fresh dairy products operations in the CIS region with Unimilk.

Wimm-Bill-Dann will fund the transaction from existing resources and will not require additional financing. “This agreement represents the amicable conclusion of Danone’s investment in our company, an investment Danone has held since our IPO in February 2002. This announcement and the outright purchase of our own shares reflect our confidence in the fundamentals of the business and our strategy for the future,” says Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods.

Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods.

Founded in 1992, Moscow-based Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods has grown rapidly to become the largest producer of dairy, baby food and beverage products in its native Russia and the CIS. The group employs over 16,000 people across 37 manufacturing facilities in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia. In 2005, Wimm-Bill-Dann became the first Russian dairy producer to receive approval from the European Commission to export its products into the European Union.

Since 2002, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods has been expanding its geographical footprint by acquiring successful businesses in Russia and the CIS, and investing heavily in modernising its production facilities. Its strategy is to produce its core products in the regions where they are sold.

Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods, the largest manufacturer of dairy products and a leading producer of juices and beverages in Russia and the CIS, has completed the placement of two bond issues on the Moscow Interbank Stock Exchange, raising a total of10b rubles ($320m at the exchange rate on July1st, 2010).

Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods.

“Such strong demand for our bonds from foreign and domestic investors allowed us to increase the size of the placement from 5 to 10 billion rubles,” says Tony Maher, chief executive of Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods. “This is a striking endorsement by the investment community of our sound fundamentals, business model and strong growth prospects. The issuance of ruble bonds provides us with additional capital for future growth and further optimizes our debt portfolio.”

The two bond issues, with a total nominal value of10b rubles, have a maturity of three years, with coupons paid every six months.

Founded in 1992, Wimm-Bill-Dann Foods operates 37 manufacturing facilities in Russia, Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia with over 16,000 employees. In 2005, Wimm-Bill-Dann became the first Russian dairy producer to receive approval from the European Commission to export its products into the European Union.