George Weston Foods, baking giant and owner of Big Ben pies, has been given the go ahead by the Commerce Commission to buy rival Dad’s Pies.
George Weston Foods will add Dad’s Pies Limited’s retail and wholesale business to its portfolio under the deal, creating a major competitor for Goodman Fielder and Goodtime Pies.
Commissioner Dr Derek Johnston said that the commission was satisfied that the acquisition was unlikely to substantially decrease competition in any New Zealand market.
“Our investigation found that George Weston Foods and Dad’s Pies Limited are not each other’s closest competitors in New Zealand,” he said. “Customers consider Big Ben to be a ‘base’ or ‘mainstream’ pie, whereas Dad’s Pies are considered to be ‘premium’ pies.
George Weston Foods and Dad’s Pies Limited manufacture and supply savoury pies and sausage rolls in New Zealand to a variety of customers including supermarkets, dairies, convenience stores, petrol stations and food distributors.
George Weston Foods sells its pies and sausage rolls under the ‘Big Ben’ brand. Dad’s Pies Limited sells its products under ‘The Baker’s Son’ brand to supermarkets, and under the ‘Dad’s Pies’ brand elsewhere.
