Kehe Acquires Tree of Life 2009-12-23 (1)

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. — Kehe Food Distributors here has signed an agreement to acquire Tree of Life from Royal Wessanen nv, with an anticipated closing date in early 2010, the companies announced.

The agreement, in which Kehe paid $190 million cash, includes Tree of Life U.S., based in St. Augustine, Fla., and Tree of Life Canada, which operates out of Calgary, Alberta.

Earlier this year, Wessanen stated it would start shopping its North American businesses in order to realign its portfolio and return to a Euro-centric business model. Wessanen, headquartered in the Netherlands, purchased Tree of Life in December of 1985 when it launched a push into natural/organics distribution.

Tree of Life currently operates 10 distribution centers in the United States and three in Canada. Kehe is a leading distributor of specialty, gourmet and ethnic products to retail grocery stores of all sizes in all 50 states, as well as Mexico and the Caribbean.

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