‘Nestle among four firms eyeing Danone’s Medical Nutrition unit’
Reuters reported last month that Danone, the world’s biggest yoghurt maker, was considering selling the unit, a maker of feeding tubes and other products that has been under pressure from declining healthcare budgets in Europe.
Danone, which could use the cash to expand its dairy and baby food businesses in higher-growth emerging markets, has, however, kept silent over its plans.
“According to several sources, four candidates have shown interest in buying the division that the French group is selling,” Les Echos said.
Other candidates included Nordic investment fund EQT and a fourth unnamed company, the newspaper said, without providing further details.
Both Nestle and Fresenius declined to comment on the report, while Danone and EQT could not be reached for comment.
Two people familiar with the matter told Reuters last month that Fresenius was considering making a bid for the unit in what could be a €4bn deal.
Sources had also told Reuters the business could attract interest from peers such as Abbott, Nestle and Baxter and that bids were due in early March.
