Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 4, Louis Dreyfus Co. (LDC) announced on September 1 that it has completed its acquisition of Viterra’s former grains and oilseeds businesses in Hungary and Poland from Bunge Global SA. The transaction followed Bunge’s $8.2 billion merger with Viterra, finalized on July 2. As part of the European Commission’s conditions for approval, Bunge was required to divest all of Viterra’s oilseed operations in Hungary and Poland, along with related logistics assets. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

Michael Gelchie, chief executive officer of LDC, said: “The transaction reflects the Group’s strategic plans to further reinforce its core merchandizing capabilities — in this case, for European grains and oilseeds origination, processing and distribution.”

In Hungary, the acquisition includes a large multi-seed crushing and refining facility in Foktő, one of Europe’s largest sunflower seed processing sites. Positioned within a major sunflower growing region, the plant handles sunflower seeds, rapeseeds, and soybeans, and also produces sunflower-based lecithin. In addition, three storage and logistics sites located in Debrecen, Gyomaendrőd, and Berettyóújfalu, with a combined capacity of about 150,000 tonnes, are part of the transaction. A dedicated grains and oilseeds trading and origination team in Budapest was also included.

In Poland, the deal covers a multi-seed crushing and refining facility in Bodaczów, which specializes in rapeseed processing and accounts for about 15% of Poland’s total rapeseed crush. The facility produces refined rapeseed oil for both the food and biodiesel sectors, while the rapeseed meal is primarily supplied to local feed compounders and animal protein producers. The acquisition also includes four storage and logistics sites in Kętrzyn, Szamotuły, Trawniki, and Werbkowice, with a combined capacity of approximately 170,000 tonnes. Some of these sites are linked to rail networks, enhancing distribution efficiency. Additionally, an oilseeds trading and origination team in Gdansk is part of the expansion.

Commenting on the deal, André Roth, head of Grains & Oilseeds at LDC, said: “This development presents a strategic opportunity for LDC’s Grains & Oilseeds platform to expand its business in a growing global sunflower market, reinforce its presence in the EU — in particular through increased exposure to the EU rapeseed complex, and enables LDC’s entry into Central European markets, including for the distribution of imported meals in the region and the development of grain origination along the Danube. It also complements our existing grains and meals business in Poland.”

The acquisition strengthens LDC’s presence in Europe by expanding origination, processing, and distribution capacity across key agricultural commodities. It provides greater access to Central and Eastern European markets while supporting the company’s broader global strategy in grains and oilseeds.