Gerard Polman, Managing Director of Bonfait, is confident about the future: “In recent years, Bonfait has developed into one of the bigger players in the growing convenience market. We have achieved this by cooking high-quality products with a customer-oriented, flexible and innovative approach. We are delighted to be joining Van Loon Group, who are already familiar with the characteristics of the market in which we operate. With the right support, we will continue where we left off: growing and working closely with our customers in ensuring that the readymade meals displayed on the shelf look even tastier.”

For Van Loon Group, the acquisition is a strategic choice to further invest in expansion of its product range. In addition to the meat, meat products and meat substitutes market, Bonfait will help Van Loon Group enter the national and international market for ready meals and meal components. Bonfait will become an independent division within the group.
 

“We're a future-oriented company. We had already identified opportunities in the meat substitutes market. A separate division for meals is the next step for us, to realise stable growth and further development in the longer term. We are intending to take on the role of chain manager in this market too. Furthermore, Bonfait's customer portfolio fits well with ours,” says Erik van Loon, Chairman of the Executive Board of Van Loon Group

Subject to CMA approval and advice of the works councils 
The intended transition is still subject to the approval by the Consumer and Market Authority (CMA) and advice from the Van Loon Group and Bonfait works councils.