Acquisition
Cerealto to Sell Pasta Business to Portuguese Group Cerealis
•February 13, 2026
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Participants
Why It Matters
The deal consolidates the European pasta market and frees Cerealto to invest in higher‑margin snack and breakfast segments, while giving Cerealis scale to compete globally.
Key Takeaways
- •Cerealto transfers pasta unit to Cerealis
- •Facility capacity roughly 90,000 tonnes annually
- •125 employees will move to new owner
- •Deal supports Cerealto’s focus on snacks and breakfast
- •Cerealis expects synergies and greater competitiveness
Pulse Analysis
The sale of Cerealto’s pasta operation reflects a broader trend of specialization within the European food manufacturing sector. By offloading a profitable but capital‑intensive line, Cerealto can reallocate resources toward its fast‑growing snack and breakfast portfolios, segments that benefit from higher consumer demand for convenient, on‑the‑go nutrition. This strategic pivot is reinforced by recent investments in U.S. snack bar producer Fresca Foods, signaling a deliberate shift toward higher‑margin, branded products rather than commodity‑type private‑label items.
For Cerealis, acquiring the Venta de Baños plant adds a significant production capacity of about 90,000 tonnes per year, instantly elevating its market share in the Iberian pasta market. The integration of 125 experienced workers ensures operational continuity and preserves valuable expertise. The anticipated synergies—ranging from streamlined supply chains to expanded distribution networks—position Cerealis to compete more aggressively against larger multinational pasta manufacturers and to explore new export opportunities across Europe and beyond.
Regulatory clearance from Spain’s CNMC and Portugal’s AdC will be the final hurdle, but the transaction is likely to proceed given its alignment with competition authorities’ focus on preserving market balance while encouraging efficiency. In the longer term, the move underscores how mid‑size food groups are reshaping their portfolios: divesting non‑core assets to sharpen focus, while acquiring complementary capabilities to achieve scale. Investors and industry observers will watch how these strategic realignments affect pricing dynamics, innovation rates, and the overall competitive landscape in the European agri‑food sector.
Deal Summary
Cerealto, a Spanish private‑label manufacturer, announced on 13 February 2026 that it will sell its pasta business, including the Venta de Baños plant, to Portuguese agri‑food group Cerealis. The acquisition, pending regulatory approval, has undisclosed financial terms.
Article
Source: Yahoo Finance — Markets (site feed)
Cerealto to sell pasta business to Portuguese group Cerealis
Date: 13 February 2026
Cerealto, the Spanish private‑label manufacturer, has agreed to sell its pasta business to Portuguese agri‑food group Cerealis.
The deal includes the associated manufacturing site in Venta de Baños, Palencia, according to a statement Cerealto issued on Friday (13 February).
Cerealis, in a short LinkedIn note, said the facility has an annual capacity of about 90,000 tonnes.
A spokesperson for Cerealto declined to confirm the factory output figures, adding that the financial terms of the transaction remain confidential.
Around 125 staff are employed at the Venta de Baños site and all will transfer to the new owners, the spokesperson said.
The Portuguese group said the acquisition will create “important synergies” in key strategic areas, helping deliver “increased scale and enhanced international competitiveness”.
Cerealto said the sale fits with its decision to focus on its “core” snacking and breakfast categories, where it sees the “greatest potential for its future growth”.
It also described the pasta unit as “profitable” and said it has benefited from sustained investment in recent years.
Cerealto added the business will “best reach its potential” under a specialist pasta player like Cerealis.
The Cerealto spokesperson added third‑party manufacturing will now include biscuits, cereals, snacking bars, and corn and rice cakes in Europe, the UK, the US and Mexico.
On jobs and operations, Cerealto said in the statement the transaction “guarantees” continuity at Venta de Baños.
“No changes are envisaged to the workforce, operations, or the day‑to‑day activities of the business,” the statement read.
Cerealto CEO Bosco Fonts said:
“Our pasta business has been high‑performing and value accretive, which has benefitted from substantial capital investment in recent years.
We are pleased to have met a new operator that is a specialist in the pasta and has the capability to continue developing the business, while retaining the employment and working conditions for our colleagues in the pasta business unit.”
The agreement is subject to approvals from Spain’s CNMC (National Commission on Markets and Competition) and Portugal’s AdC (Competition Authority).
“Once necessary authorisations are obtained, we will begin a transition phase to ensure a seamless transfer to the new owner. Until then, the business will continue to operate as normal, fully meeting our commitments to customers,” Fonts added.
Backed by Davidson Kempner Capital Management and Afendis Capital Management, Cerealto acquired a majority stake in US‑based Fresca Foods, the producer of snack bars and breakfast cereals, in November.
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