Sligro Food Group will acquire the majority of wholesaler METRO België's activities, as part of court-supervised restructuring proceedings of Makro Cash & Carry Belgium NV before the Commercial Court of Antwerp. Sligro Food Group is taking over nine Metro wholesalers and around a hundred employees from the regional network and the head office.

The transaction requires the approval of the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA). During the court-supervised restructuring proceedings, the BCA had already looked into the market consequences. Based on its investigations, the BCA granted an ‘unconditional decision to grant an exemption’, allowing the transaction to go ahead. In the coming period, the BCA will complete its investigations, from which at this time no significant obstacles are expected.

Houthoff and Liedekerke advised Sligro Food Group on this acquisition. The Houthoff team included Michiel Pannekoek, Gerrit Oosterhuis, Josephine de Bok, Sophie de Kock van Leeuwen, Anouk Boutens, Thomas de Weerd, Godart van Ekeren, Jori de Goffau, Jessica Terpstra, Karim Abass, Karmijn Krooshof, Marc van Beuge and Olga Korneeva.