FTC seeks to block acquisition of Pickle firm ... (Washington).(U.S. Federal Trade Commission; Claussen Pickle Company Inc. proposed acquisition by Hicks, Muse, Tate and Furst Equity Fund V L.P., owner of Vlasic Pickle Co.)(Brief Article)

Food Institute Report, The, October, 2002

The Federal Trade Commission is seeking a preliminary injunction in federal district court to block the proposed acquisition of Claussen Pickle Co. by Dallas, TX-based private investment firm Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst Equity Fund V, L.P. (Hicks, Muse), which owns the Vlasic Pickle Co. "This transaction would result in a dominant firm merging with its most significant competitor by far, leading the Commission to the conclusion that the transaction would have anticompetitive consequences," said Joe Simons, Director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition.

Hicks Muse's proposed purchase of Claussen would eradicate competition and the unique competition between the two national pickle brands, according to the FTC's complaint. Claussen is the leading producer of...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.