Year in review with the top two
The dealbreakers
2014 was a year of further consolidation in the industry. ADM is now completely out of the cocoa and chocolate business It sold its chocolate plants to Cargill for $440m and its cocoa presses to Olam in a $1.3bn deal. This leaves Barry Callebaut, Cargill and Olam as the three major cocoa processors.
In July Lindt acquired Russell Stover for an estimated $1.3bn. The deal saw Lindt overtake Nestle as the third largest confectionery company in the US, behind Hershey and Mars.
Ülker and Godiva owner Yildiz Holding also strengthened its hold on the global confectionery market. It acquired DeMet’s Candy Company for $221m in January and snapped up UK-based United Biscuits for a reported $3.1bn
