Asters advises HiPP Group on Ukrainian merger control aspects in acquisition of milk formula plant

Asters Law Firm provided legal advice to HiPP Group, one of the leading European baby food producers, in obtaining merger clearance from the Ukrainian competition authority for the acquisition of milk formula plant MIG (Herford, Germany), which was previously jointly controlled by HiPP Group and DMK Group.

Asters' team working on the transaction included partner Igor Svechkar, counsel Tetiana Vovk, and associate Pavlo Verbolyuk.

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HiPP Group is active in manufacture and sale of baby milks, baby food and drinks, baby care and mother care products. HiPP Group products are exported to over 50 countries all over the world.

MIG operates a plant in Herford, Germany, which currently has around 500 employees and is active in development and production of milk formulas, baby food, and dietary products.

DMK Group is Germany’s largest dairy company and is present in more than 100 countries all over the world with strong brands such as MILRAM, Osterland, Oldenburger, Rose, Humana, Casarelli, Intact, sanotact, hansal and NORMI. The product range covers the spectrum from basic milk products and cheese through dairy ingredients for food manufacturing to baby food, ice cream and health products.

Asters' attorneys have profound knowledge and vast experience in the entire spectrum of antitrust issues that includes merger cases, concerted practices, abuse of dominance, unfair competition, etc. With 18 lawyers in the antitrust/competition team, our practice is the biggest in Ukraine. Asters Partners Igor Svechkar, Alexey Pustovit and Oleksandr Voznyuk are the leading practitioners in this area and represent Ukrainian and foreign clients in the most complicated and high-profile transactions and antitrust investigations. Asters lawyers closely interact and cooperate with the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine and are very active in the legal and academic community – in particular, Oleksandr Voznyuk is a Co-Chair of Competition Commission of ICC Ukraine, while Igor Svechkar is the chairman of the Competition Committee of the Ukrainian Bar Association and a deputy chairman of the Public Council of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine.