Clifford Chance has advised Spectrum Brands Holdings, Middleton, USA on the acquisition of Procter & Gamble's European Pet Food Business. The purchase includes the well-known cat and dog food brands IAMS and Eukanuba. To date, P&G's sale of pet food generated a turnover of USD 200 million (about EUR 156 million) in Europe. Spectrum Brands hopes to further expand its pet food business which is bundled under the United Pet Group by gaining a clearly enhanced access to the European market through this acquisition. The consummation of the contract is subject to the usual requirements and is expected to take place at the beginning of 2015.

In addition to pet food, the conglomerate Spectrum Brands produces and sells a broad variety of consumer goods, such as batteries under the "Varta" and "Rayovac" brands, "Remington", "Russell Hobbs" and "Black & Decker" home appliances, "Tetra" pet food products as well as gardening tools.

Clifford Chance has advised Spectrum Brands for many years, such as in the context of acquiring Varta Group and Tetra Group.

The Clifford Chance team was led by partner Christine Koziczinski and included senior associate Jan Wittrodt, associate Susanne Schuler (all Corporate) and senior associate Dr. Ines Keitel (Corporate, Employment, all Frankfurt) as well as partner Dr. Claudia Milbradt, senior associate Dr. Alexandra Diehl (both IP) and partner Marc Besen (Antitrust) – all Düsseldorf.

The team from Clifford Chance's Amsterdam office was led by partner Gregory Crookes and included associates Michael Otte, Tijmen Bongartz (all Corporate), Helen Gornall (Corporate/Antitrust), counsel Wijnanda Rutten and associate Hein van den Hout (both Corporate/Employment) as well as partner Michiel Sunderman (Tax).